


Typecast

by mnwood



Series: Typecast 'Verse [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Actor Castiel, Actor Dean, Alpha Castiel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Actors, Aromantic Dean, Asexual Castiel, Blow Jobs, Bottom Dean, Castiel Smokes, Closeted Dean, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Anna Milton/Dean Winchester, Omega Verse, POV Alternating, Rimming, Smoking, Top Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-04-11 03:08:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 74,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4418789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mnwood/pseuds/mnwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Up-and-coming movie actor Castiel Novak knows he'll never be taken seriously if all he ever plays is betas, and as an alpha he certainly doesn't think it's a wise career choice to play an omega. However, when he's offered the omega role in a gay romance and learns that the much more famous (and his crush) Dean Winchester is playing the alpha, Cas decides maybe it's time to take a risk. But when they meet on day one, Cas isn't sure what to make of Dean's scent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mpreg is never brought up in this fic. However, it will definitely be included in the rest of this series. If that's not your thing, this story stands on its own just fine.
> 
> As for the other aspect of this universe, I liberally use real famous people and real movies to make this seem more, you know, real.
> 
> If you came here for ace!Cas, just a warning that he's demi and is sexually attracted to Dean right at the start of this fic (because Dean is a celebrity and Cas is crushing on him from afar). I would actually argue that he becomes /less/ sexually attracted to Dean as their relationship progresses lmao.

_“Please. I know I screwed up, but you’ve got to believe me. I’m a new man.”_

_“Yeah? Unless your knot magically disappeared, I’m not buying it.”_

_“Emily! Emily, come on. Let me prove to you that I’ve changed. Give me a chance to…be a good alpha.”_

“What the hell are you watching?”

Cas jumps at the intrusion but relaxes when he sees that it’s just Claire standing behind the couch.

“Dude, is this _Tying the Knot?”_ Claire asks with a laugh as she stares up at the television.

With the press of a button, the screen turns black. “I suppose. I don’t know. I wasn’t really watching,” Cas lies.

“Cas,” Claire says with an air of seriousness that makes Cas turn and look at her. “I’ve caught you watching a different Dean Winchester movie the past three times I’ve stayed here.” 

“Fair point."

“So are you interested in a _purely_ _professional_ sense, or are you…?”

“Dean Winchester is far more famous than I could ever dream of being, so I can’t imagine that our paths would ever cross professionally or otherwise. Not to mention that he’s an alpha.” 

Claire rounds the couch and plops down on the opposite end. “So, you wouldn’t get down with another alpha? That too kinky for you?”

“I am not having this conversation with my 17-year-old stepdaughter.” 

“Ex-stepdaughter. Technically there's no relation whatsoever between us, so this isn’t weird. But OK, keep stalking Dean Winchester through his movies and pining after him like some sad puppy.”

Cas crosses his arms and sets his jaw.

“Whoa, OK, alpha. Forget I said anything. Geez. We going to finish watching the movie or what?”

With a heavy sigh, Cas hits the button on the remote, and the silly romcom picks up where it left off.

The camera very liberally zooms in on Dean Winchester’s face to the point where it’s distracting in every scene. 

Dean Winchester has giant eyes with long, sweeping eyelashes. Full lips and a strong chin. Ears that stick out, nose slightly curved to the right, a face so pretty and perfect it could bring a tear to Cas’ eye. 

Dean Winchester is also an alpha.

Castiel wants to fuck the daylights out of him. 

Maybe it’s a good thing their paths will likely never cross.

 

* * *

 

“So, Dean, anything else you want to tell us? You know, girlfriend or whatever.”

Dean knew it was coming, but he still clenches his fist in his lap. He’s been appearing on Ellen’s show for years and it’s always the same. She gives him that mischievous smile because she knows he hates talking about this shit, but they’re too good of friends for him to tell her to stop teasing him in front of a live audience and millions of people at home. 

So he plays along.

“No, Ellen, I’m still a free agent. Why don’t we talk about you instead? How’s Portia?”

Ellen laughs and shakes her head as she answers, “No, no, don’t change the subject. This is your chance to set the tabloids straight.”

“What are they saying these days? ‘Cause I can assure you I’ve been working too much lately to have any time for a personal life. Don’t look at me like that—I’m serious,” Dean says with a grin.

“All right, fine. We’ll play it your way. You’ve been working too hard to have a personal life, so tell us what you’ve been working on.”

This is the easiest part of any interview. The part where he just talks about whatever movie he’s promoting and they show a clip from it and the audience claps and then he can go home. 

Despite the fact that Dean’s been a household name for the past decade, he doesn’t bother with trying to hide. He drives himself from Ellen’s studio back to his house in Glendale, and he waves to teenagers at stoplights who undoubtedly recognize him because of his ’67 Chevy Impala. His baby’s probably been spotted in _People_ magazine more often than he has. 

Plus, he grew up in Glendale and never left, so nobody thinks he’s a big deal there. His fame is not exactly exciting to his old neighbors he’s known since he was a kid.

And he’s fairly certain the paparazzi got bored of him a few years ago.

After he flicks on the lights in his house and starts preheating the oven to make dinner, Dean sinks down on the couch and turns on the news.

He scrolls through his phone and goes over his calendar. He has to fly to New York tomorrow to do Fallon and Meyers, and then he gets no break before heading off to London to promote his movie over there for a week. Then the movie will finally be done premiering worldwide, and Dean can fight with his agent about his next project.

Realizing it’s his last night in L.A. for a while, Dean shoots Anna Milton a text.

_You busy tonight?_

_I can be at your place in an hour._

_Awesome._

Dean likes Anna mostly because their off-screen relationship is mutual booty calls, and both of them understand that that’s all this is ever going to be. Anna was the other lead in the movie Dean’s currently promoting, so her schedule is just as all over the place as his right now. He misses the quickies in his trailer during breaks.

She shows up just as Dean is pulling his food out of the oven, so they sit in the kitchen together while Dean eats and Anna steals from his plate. 

“That’s more protein than necessary, you bulking up for something?” Anna asks as Dean shoves half a chicken breast in his mouth.

He nods and answers, “I might be doing an indie flick soon.”

“What? Really? Please don’t tell me you’re trying to become, like, somebody the Academy might actually notice one day?”

“My agent says it’s a smart move. Plus, I’m tired, man. I’m sick of playing knotheads. I’m sick of action movies.”

“So let me get this straight. You’re _bulking up_ for an indie film? Because you’re sick of action movies?”

With a sigh, Dean admits, “I’m still playing an alpha. But it’s, uh, a romance.” 

“Oh, right, because you’ve _never_ done one of those before.”

“It’s a gay romance.” 

Anna mouths an “oh” and asks, “They cast the omega yet?”

“That’s why I’m waiting to give them a definite yes. I'd really like to know who I’m working with before I…get naked with him, you know?”

“Yeah. I know. When do you have to decide?”

“While we’re in London. Hey, that reminds me, are we staying in the same hotel?”

“Yep. I’m a floor below you.”

Dean smiles down at his food and says, “Awesome.” 

When Dean’s finished eating, Anna barely lets him put his plate in the sink before she pushes him against the wall and captures his mouth with her own. He responds immediately, picking her up and carrying her back to the master bedroom. 

Dean peels her clothes off as they kiss. She manhandles him to the bed and starts undressing him.

After more kissing, she asks, “You got any new toys?” 

He grins and throws her off of him before bouncing over to his closet and pulling out the strap-on he’s wanted to try since he bought it a week ago.

“Whoa, there’s actually come in the knot?” Anna asks disbelievingly as she examines the toy.

“Well, synthetic obviously, but yeah.”

Anna pulls him in for a gentle kiss, presumably because she smells the embarrassment and nervousness on him. Not really wanting to make this more serious than it ought to be, Dean turns away from her and gets on his hands and knees to present.

There’s a gasp from behind him, and then Anna is caressing his hips and lining herself up. He feels the push of the plastic and immediately begins to relax.

“So good, my sweet omega,” she whispers after pushing in.

Dean growls and arches his back like a cat. Anna takes that as an invitation to start moving.

She waits several minutes before reaching under Dean to take his cock in her hand, but once she does Dean starts bucking back wildly.

“Shh, shh, omega,” Anna soothes, draping herself over Dean’s back so she can mouth at his ear.

Dean comes silently with a slight shudder. They both collapse to the bed as the fake knot swells and ejaculates.

They readjust to their sides—Anna curled behind Dean so they’re more comfortable—while they wait for the fake knot to go down.

“You know, you could just take it off and I could eat you out,” Dean states gruffly.

Anna kisses his neck and says, “That would ruin all the fun. Although I am definitely getting slick all over your bed, sorry.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Anna smacks his arm, so Dean scoots his ass back and pulls a gasp out of her.

It only takes about 15 minutes for the knot to go down (downside to using a fake one), and the smell of Anna’s arousal is still thick in the air when they pull apart. Dean doesn’t hesitate before sliding down the bed and throwing one of her legs over his shoulder so he can get the right angle to go down on her.

At the first touch of his tongue, she produces a generous amount of slick. Dean takes his time lapping it all up. He fucking loves how she tastes, and he loves how she responds even better. 

Anna is quiet in bed, but the kind of quiet that involves gasping and breathing heavy and holding onto Dean’s hair for dear life as she desperately tries not to lose control of herself.

As Dean works his tongue around her clitoris, he soothes her by rubbing his hands up and down her thighs and waist. When she’s close, she pulses her hips in a circular rhythm. There’s more slick than Dean’s mouth can keep up with.

She comes with a heavy sigh. Dean waits to move until she yanks his head up and pulls him down for a bruising kiss.

When they come apart, Anna has a lazy smile on her face and she holds Dean’s cheeks like he’s something precious. “Have I ever told you…that you’re my favorite actor?” she asks sweetly.

Dean laughs and kisses her forehead. “Yeah, sweetheart, I know. Remember how starstruck you were when we met?” 

Anna swats his arm again. Dean falls next to her with a laugh. Yeah, Anna had been starstruck, but she definitely wasn’t shy. They didn’t meet until an award show after party, and by the end of the night Anna was sucking his dick in the bathroom and all but demanding that he take her home with him.

And Dean, frankly, has no idea how to say no to an assertive omega.

 

* * *

 

“Balthazar, I _told_ you I’m not—”

“Please, Cassie, at least let me pitch the movie before you turn it down? Will you let me do that much? And then you can hang up on me to your heart’s content.”

Cas sighs into the receiver to let his agent know that he can continue.

“Excellent. You know Carver Edlund? Well, he’s currently casting an upcoming indie film, and you’re one of the actors he has his eye on. This is a huge deal, Cassie, because Edlund doesn’t hold auditions and he rarely even bothers with casting directors. He _handpicks_ who he wants, and he wants _you.”_

“What’s the catch?” Cas hopes he doesn’t sound too intrigued even though he definitely is. He’s dreamed of working for Edlund since the guy made a movie in the ‘90s with a completely beta cast. Not a single mention of alpha/omega dynamics in the entire two-hour film, which is still unheard of 20 years later.

“The catch? There is no ‘catch.’”

“Do I need to call you on your bullshit, or…?”

Balthazar sighs dramatically and says, “ _Fine._ It’s a romance with sex scenes and mood lighting and everything. They’re looking to cast you opposite of the alpha. The male alpha. You’d be playing an omega.”

“No. No, Balthazar. I told you I would never—”

“Rumor has it Dean Winchester is the alpha.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you know how with famous people you generally use their whole names instead of just their first names? That's why "Dean Winchester" is overused in this fic. Remember that he is extremely famous in this au.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suspend disbelief with me through the filming process~

Dean is fucking exhausted.

He landed in Los Angeles less than 24 hours ago, and he’s so jet lagged he can hardly stand. His agent called him on day three in London and said he needed to decide _immediately_ if he was doing the indie flick or not. Apparently Edlund was very interested in Bradley Cooper for the role, so if Dean didn’t get his head out of his ass he was going to lose the opportunity.

 _After_ he had given an emphatic "yes," Crowley told him, "Oh, and by the way, filming starts the day you get back."

So now here Dean sits, cursing his stupid Scottish agent and wondering if he can pump enough coffee in his system to make it through this table read. Luckily the movie is still in the early stages of development, so if Dean acts like a dick today it won’t be in front of _everyone_ he’ll have to work with over the next eight months. He’s never worked with Edlund before, but he already likes the unconventional way in which he operates. Even if it means starting a job immediately after agreeing to do it.

When he gets to the address, he thinks he’s at the wrong place. This is a fucking _house_ , not a studio.

But as soon as he’s about to call Crowley, a large bearded alpha pats him on the back and says, “Dean Winchester, pleasure to meet you. Nice car.”

“Uh, thanks. Is this…?" 

“Edlund’s house. I did one of his first flicks with him when he was broke, and he still hasn’t gotten out of the habit of holding reads at his house. Thinks studios are a waste of money. The name’s Benny, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Benny. What role you playing?”

Benny gives him a soft smile and says, “Better get used to me, brother. I’m playing Nate.”

Nate. Dean’s character’s best friend and confidant. Seems fitting for a dude like Benny, but Dean is still definitely going to look this guy up when he gets home just to see what else he’s been in. This cast is probably filled with a bunch of no-names, and that, for some reason, makes Dean incredibly nervous.

Benny and Dean aren’t the first people to arrive, but they _are_ the first actors. They introduce themselves to the assistant director and script supervisor as they get coffee in Edlund’s kitchen. It’s weirdly calming. Maybe because Dean’s not the only person in the room wearing scent blockers, and it’s always nice to know he’s not going to stand out for it. 

The next person to enter the kitchen is Edlund himself. Although Dean had looked him up extensively before this, he’s still thrown off by a surprising first impression.

The guy smells like nerves and coiled energy, but under all of that is a very sweet omega scent. Dean’s never met a director (or really any man with an important job) who’s an omega, and especially not one who smells so kind and inviting and like everything you would ever want in a perfect omega. He has to shake it off and bury his nose in his coffee.

“Benny! It’s been a long time,” Edlund says warmly as he reaches up to pull Benny down for a hug.

“Hey, Chuck, it’s great to see you. Can’t wait to be working with you again, brother.”

“Yeah, man. It’s going to be an awesome ride.”

Edlund nods and stares up at Benny for an awkward amount of time before turning his attention to Dean. His eyes go wide, and he strides over with little grace and sticks his hand out hesitantly. 

“Mr. Winchester, it is wonderful to meet you. I am very excited to be working with you on this film.”

The handshake lasts for too long as Dean says, “Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Edlund. I’m excited, too.”

“Oh, please. Call me Chuck. Carver Edlund’s a snooty director. Chuck is a good guy.”

Dean's worked with actors and directors who turn into completely different animals when they're absorbed in the moment. He hopes that's not what Chuck means. “Thanks, Chuck. Call me Dean.”

Chuck scurries away again, so Dean focuses his attention on the new arrivals. There’s Bela Talbot, the only other actor working on this film that Dean’s met before. He gives her a curt nod and keeps scanning the room. There are a few more crewmembers—presumably the production and costume designers since it’s not really necessary for anybody else to be at a table read—and a couple of actors Dean’s maybe seen in a movie or something if he thinks really hard, but he's too dead on his feet to think about anything right now. 

But then, suddenly, as he’s washing his coffee mug in the sink and following everybody out to Chuck’s living room where a long table is set up, a powerful scent hits him like a fucking freight train. He nearly passes out from abrupt lightheadedness.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” a new voice says, and Dean focuses enough to find where it’s coming from.

An actor he knows he’s seen in a couple of newer movies is shrugging off his jacket and hanging it over the back of a chair before taking his seat. He’s still got his sunglasses on. Dean feels his neck heating up at how fucking hot the aviators look.

“It’s no problem, Mr. Novak,” Chuck says as he moves around the table to shake the new guy’s hand. “We haven’t even gotten started yet.”

The guy, Novak, stands and takes Chuck’s hand firmly in his. He is all alpha strength and confidence as he says, “It is a true pleasure to be working with you, Mr. Edlund. And please, call me Cas.”

Chuck just swallows and nods.

Dean doesn’t blame him.

With nervous chatter, they all shuffle into their seats and grab their scripts. Dean sits directly across from Cas Novak—who he now remembers was in a Wes Anderson movie earlier this year—and tries to pretend like his scent isn’t driving him up the fucking wall.

While Chuck starts his spiel about how the morning’s going to run, Dean tries to think about anything other than Cas Novak. But when he looks up from his script, the dude is staring at him with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth like he wants to say something.

They stare at each other until Chuck says Dean’s name.

“Dean Winchester, in the role of Tag Nielson. Benny Lafitte, in the role of Nathan Bridgmoor. Castiel Novak, in the role of Taylor Talley.”

Dean tenses up but quickly composes himself when he realizes the actress next to him is watching him. And so is Castiel Novak. Again.

This alpha—this tall, gorgeous, commanding alpha—is going to play Dean’s timid _omega lover?_

 

* * *

 

It’s a rough morning for Cas. 

He couldn’t sleep at all last night, so of course he completely misses his alarm clock and wakes up 20 minutes late. He takes the fastest shower of his life and bangs his funny bone into the wall while he washes. No time for coffee or breakfast, and on his way out the door he realizes he forgot to brush his teeth, _and_ he forgot to put on scent blockers.

He knew he’d forget the scent blockers since he never usually wears them, but of course he didn’t have the foresight to throw them in his car the day before. He hits his steering wheel and curses. The sun blinds him on his way. He nearly gets into a wreck reaching into his glove compartment for his sunglasses.

About halfway through the drive, Cas realizes that he needs to calm the fuck down or else he’s going to reek like an aggressive, power-hungry alpha when he gets to this table read. He’s already going to smell alpha enough without the blockers, which is just great since this is the first time he’s playing an omega in a film. 

Truthfully, Castiel loves being an alpha. He loves the way he can command a room if need be, and he loves the extra strength it provides both physically and emotionally. Sometimes it’s nice being able to hide behind the mask of “stern alpha” because it makes people too nervous to peel back the layers and see who Cas really is.

But now, as he’s walking up the steps of Carver Edlund’s front porch and feeling adrenaline and irritation pumping through him, he wishes he was an omega. He wishes he could walk into this table read and not receive wary stares. He wishes people weren’t so shocked when Edlund announces that he’s the one playing Taylor Talley.

Cas is so preoccupied that it isn’t until they’re all sitting in Edlund’s living room that he notices it.

A poignant smell, distinct among all the other smells swirling around, almost like it’s calling out to Cas or something. But that doesn’t make any sense.

He follows his nose and gulps when he finds the source.

Sitting directly across from him and staring at him with big, green eyes and a nervous expression is Dean Winchester.

For a moment they stare at each other. It’s almost as if they _both_ know that something about each other’s scent is particularly unique.

Dean is the one who breaks eye contact.

Cas is so beyond fucked.

 

* * *

 

During the scenes Dean’s character is not in, he almost nods off at the table like a fucking jackass.

But every time he feels himself slipping, he gets a powerful whiff of Castiel Novak and wakes right the fuck back up.

One of these times, he actually twitches in his seat, and when he looks across at Cas, the dude is silently laughing down at his script. 

Great. Sexy, aviator-wearing alpha is laughing at him.

It takes a little more than two hours to make it through the whole script, and then Chuck gives some notes and rambles on about the backstory before he finally turns it over to the assistant director for scheduling.

Dean is ready to crawl out of his own skin by the time they’re dismissed, but for some stupid fucking reason he walks right on over to Cas Novak and sticks his hand out to shake.

And shit. _Fuck._ Cas smells even better this close. Dean can feel the first wave of arousal building low in his belly. He tries to shake it off as he says, “Hi, I’m Dean. Figured I’d introduce myself since we’re going to be pretty…intimate over the next few months.” Why the fuck. What the fuck did he just say.

Cas opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. His eyes flick down to Dean’s lips and then back up to his eyes, and he manages to say, “It’s good to meet you, Dean. I’m very excited to be working with you.” 

Dean smiles, his confidence returning now that Cas has shown some un-alpha-like nervousness. “You were a pretty convincing omega in there, I got to say.” 

“Oh, uh, thank you. I’ve never, uh, played one. I’m anxious about the challenge.” 

“I’m sure you’ll be awesome, Cas.”

“Thank you, Dean.”

They smile and nod at each other, and then Dean says “see you later” and heads for the door without talking to anybody else.

He doesn’t even care if people see him when he gets in his car. He immediately presses his hand to his tented pants and heaves a sigh of relief at the pressure.

What the _fuck._

* * *

 

Cas feels every bit of alpha confidence drain right out of his body when Dean approaches him after the read.

But then. 

Something in Dean’s scent changes.

It smells like arousal.

But not just any arousal. There’s a soft quality to it, something in it that awakens Cas’ base instincts, but surely it can’t be.

It’s—is that—is Cas smelling _slick?_


	3. Chapter 3

Today is the first day on set. Dean hasn’t been this fucking on edge since the very first TV show he did back in the early 2000s.

 _It’s not because of Cas, it’s not because of Cas, it’s not because of that fucking goddamn piece of shit alpha._

The more he thinks it, the more sure he feels that Cas is absolutely the reason why he’s freaking out.

Dean goes overboard with his scent blockers and tries to ignore the upturned noses as he stomps over to his trailer. Maybe the smell of frustration is worse than the extra blockers. Dean will be lucky to make it through this movie without everyone on set thinking he’s a giant douchebag.

He’s barely started making his space his own before there’s a knock on his door. Instead of going to answer it, he just yells, “Come in.”

It’s Benny who steps inside. “Phew, did somebody die in here?”

“Nah, that’s me. Had a bad morning. What’s up, man?” Dean tries to sound more cheery than he feels.

“Just wanted to see how you were. We’re doing a couple of our scenes later, and I thought it’d be weird if that’s the first time we spoke to each other today.”

Dean’s honestly never really thought about it with other actors, but maybe building that familiarity is part of Benny’s personal process. Dean can play along, sure. “Yeah, I was looking over the schedule last night. It’s the more lighthearted stuff, though, so at least we don’t have to cry on each other’s shoulders or anything, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll save that for next week. Knowing Chuck, though, we probably won’t make it through two scenes today.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, he can be a bit neurotic. But we’ll see. Maybe he’s changed since I worked with him. Oh, hey, that reminds me—you ever work with Novak before?”

Dean feels his heart drop to his stomach. He shakes off the initial shock and answers casually, “Uh, no, never met the guy. Why? He an asshole or something?”

“Nah, I was just curious. You and him seemed like you knew each other at the read.”

“Really? That’s weird.” Dean clears his throat so his voice isn’t pitched up so high. “No, I had never met him before. He’s pretty new, right? I mean, he’s probably never worked with any of these people before.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Anyway, just wanted to say good morning. I’ll see you in a couple of hours, OK, brother?”

“Sounds good, Benny. Thanks for stopping by.”

They shake hands and Benny tips his hat as he leaves the trailer. Dean feels marginally better. He thinks Benny might end up being a good friend. There’s something soothing about the alpha, and Dean is glad for it. 

Once he musters up the courage to leave his trailer, Dean’s first stop is wardrobe. Luckily his character wears jeans and Henleys for most of the film, so he doesn’t have to spend too much time in fittings and changes.

A problem arises, however, when he makes it inside the hair and makeup trailer.

From the first whiff of the room he assumes Castiel Novak must be in here somewhere. It smells _way_ too damn good for Dean to even think straight, but after a quick scan of the small space he doesn’t see the alpha anywhere in sight.

So he sniffs a little deeper and realizes that it’s not alpha he smells, but omega. Really, _really_ good omega. He gravitates toward it and ends up sitting in one of the artist’s chairs. She leans over him and begins messing with his hair, and _yeah_ , it’s definitely her that smells incredible.

The first glimpse he gets of her is through the mirror in front of them, and he’s struck with how gorgeous she is.

As she works, she says, “Hi, Dean. I’m Lisa. I’ll be taking care of you for the next few months, all right?” 

He can’t help himself. He reaches back and snatches her hand so he can pull her wrist to his nose and scent it until he’s drunk on her.

She tenses and whispers, “So it’s not just me then.” 

He shakes his head and stares at her through the mirror.

“You going to say anything, or…?” she prompts.

“You know where my trailer is?”

She nods.

“Then you know where to go on our first break,” he whispers with a wink.

Lisa smiles and looks down at his hair, but she seems to be messing it up more than styling it.

Five minutes later, Castiel Novak walks in and sits in the chair next to Dean’s.

They stare at each other through the mirror as if in a trance. Even though Cas is wearing scent blockers today, Dean can still smell him. The mix of Lisa and Cas has his head swimming in some twisted fantasy, but he shakes himself out of it and breaks eye contact with the other actor.

“Hello, Dean,” Cas says after an awkward amount of time has already passed. 

“Hey, Cas. Ready to get this show on the road?”

“I’m quite anxious to begin. And you?” 

“Yeah, I’m ready to get into the swing of things. Day one is always, uh, different.”

“Different, yes, I know what you mean. It’s a small blessing none of our more intimate scenes together are happening this week.” Cas’ eyes widen after he finishes his sentence.

Dean feels his face flush, but he covers it with a laugh and says, “Man, that’s a relief to hear you say that. It’s been a long time since I, uh, did all the romantic crap, you know?” 

A vague sort of sadness pulls at Cas’ features. “Yes, but I’m sure you’ll be fine. You’ve done far more romantic roles than I have, so at least you have that advantage.”

“Dean, could you turn, please?” Lisa asks from behind him.

He turns away from Cas and finds himself face-to-face with the beautiful omega. She begins applying makeup to his face, and all he can do is stare into her eyes. He forgets Cas completely.

What the fuck kind of mess did he just get dropped into.

 

* * *

 

Castiel face plants onto his couch and shuts his eyes. 

He just finished his first week of work, and he would really like to just not move again until Monday. 

“Hey, buddy, how’s it going?” Claire asks condescendingly.

Cas opens one eye and sees his stepdaughter take the love seat and turn on the TV. He grunts in response to her question.

“That bad, huh? What’s Dean Winchester like?”

“He smells good.” He never would've said that if he weren’t so exhausted.

Claire laughs and turns the volume on the TV down. “Which _kind_ of good?" 

“The good kind of good.”

“I’m not going to get anything out of you tonight, am I?”

“Nuh-uh.”

Claire sighs and turns the TV back up. 

Next thing Cas knows, there’s a knock on the door waking him up. Claire tells him she’ll get it, and he’s still half-asleep when a new person walks in the room. 

The new person crouches down right near Cas’ face, so he opens one eye and is unsurprised to see the blue eyes of his sister staring at him. 

“Hello, Hannah,” he grumbles.

“Wow, grumpy. I’m going to take Claire out to eat. You’re welcome to join us if you can wake up enough.”

She gets up and walks away after that. Cas knows he’ll regret it if he doesn’t go with them. Sure, he sees his sister at least once a week and his stepdaughter more often than that, but with his filming schedule he probably won’t have much time for outings.

They go to a quaint little restaurant in Glendale, and Cas mostly just sits in silence as Hannah and Claire chatter away.

About halfway through their meal, Claire cuts Hannah off by saying, “Oh my god, is that—is that Dean Winchester?” 

On impulse, Cas turns and sure enough, Dean Winchester is being led to a table by the hostess. 

And he’s holding hands with the makeup artist. Lisa? Yeah, Lisa.

Cas’ heart inexplicably sinks. He tears his eyes away. He knows he smells like distress and jealousy right now, but there’s really not a goddamn thing he can do about it.

“Cas, are you going to go say hi?” Claire asks seriously.

“He’s on a date. I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to—”

“Oh no, you really like him,” Hannah cuts in sympathetically. “I mean, I figured, but I can smell it on you.”

Cas hangs his head and doesn’t say anything. 

“Shit, he’s looking over here,” Claire whispers.

Again, Cas looks. Dean and Lisa are on the other side of the room, but Dean’s eyes are definitely trained on Cas. They make eye contact for three seconds before Dean snaps back to his conversation with Lisa.

“We’re never eating in Glendale again.”

 

* * *

 

“We only—have five—more—minutes,” Dean stutters between kisses.

“Shame. I can’t make you come that fast,” Lisa breathes into his ear.

He squeezes her ass and yanks their hips together. All they’re doing is making out against a wall, but it’s so goddamn hot when his partner smells _this_ good.

She snakes her arms around his neck and sucks his bottom lip into her mouth. He moans before she cuts him off with her tongue.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” Dean says as she licks and bites his neck. 

“And we are so fucking fired if we don’t leave right now.”

In an instant, they’re separated. Lisa tucks her hair behind her ear and readjusts her shirt. Dean’s not sure how she does it, but there’s not even a trace of arousal coming off of her. If he didn’t know any better, he would guess that she’s a beta.

“I’ll see you at lunch, yeah?” she asks casually while continuing to adjust herself.

“Yeah. I’ll meet you in the tent.”

She gives him a quick peck on the lips and a bright smile before leaving his trailer.

It’s not like their tentative relationship is a secret or anything (hell, there was a picture of them in _Us Weekly_ already), but Dean still gets butterflies in his stomach thinking about people seeing her leave his trailer. 

 

* * *

 

One thing Cas is grateful for on set is that Chuck tries his best to shoot the scenes chronologically.

The best part about this rarity is that they’re nearly a month into shooting before Cas and Dean’s characters do anything physical.

During week one, they shot their first introduction and then jumped out of order to their first fight.

Tag Nielson and Taylor Talley meet at a gate at the Atlanta airport during a 12-hour layover. Tag is reading _On the Road_ , and Taylor absolutely loathes that book and feels the need to tell Tag why it sucks. But as soon as Taylor goes into his spiel, Tag starts _looking_ at him like his righteous anger is the most adorable thing he’s ever seen.

“What?” Taylor asks, cutting off his own rant.

“I just love when people are passionate,” Tag responds.

The line is cheesy and ridiculous, but the fact that the alpha character answers with something other than “it’s cute when omegas get feisty” automatically separates this film from the rest of the genre. Well, to be fair, Cas decided that _after_ Dean nailed the first take.

Right from the start, Dean played Tag with a certain level of gentleness juxtaposed with little self-control when it comes to using the fact that he's an alpha to get what he wants. It made his character terrifying. The way he could go from soft-spoken to demanding at the drop of a hat would be jarring for the audience. They would most likely spend half the movie wondering if they should be rooting for him or not. 

After seeing Dean’s performance the past couple of weeks, Cas is wondering that himself. Cas considers himself a good actor, but he’s not good enough to actually cower and instinctively hunch his shoulders whenever Tag Nielson lets the alpha take over. No, Cas is definitely not that good, so it must be all Dean.

Dean, who Cas believes more and more each day is an alpha and he was just hallucinating (if smells can be hallucinated) slick the day they met.

When they got to the fight scene between Tag and Taylor, Cas hardly even had to act. They did 12 takes before a break was called, and Cas nearly ran back to his trailer to compose himself and remember that he was an  _alpha_ and didn’t need to be reacting like this.

That was the first day Dean Winchester sought him out.

There was a steady knock on his door. Cas cracked it open to find sympathetic eyes staring down at him.

“Heya, Cas,” Dean greeted in that deep voice of his, but it sounded so nice and comforting that Cas opened the door all the way.

“You probably think I’m extremely unprofessional,” Cas said as he walked to his couch and expected Dean to follow.

“What? No. You’re, like, totally method, dude. It’s fucking awesome.” Dean sat on the chair across from Cas and continued, “I was just checking to make sure you were OK. That was, uh, heavy, and we barely know each other.”

“Do you think our characters should actually be together, or will the point of this story be that they are toxic?” Cas asked out of nowhere.

Dean adopted a pensive look and answered, “If I answer that, it might negatively affect the way we play the characters. But, um, I definitely think there’s _something_ between them that should be…explored.”

Cas narrowed his eyes at Dean. “I don’t know why I’m worried about it. I suppose I’ll let the story tell itself. Um, thank you for checking on me, Dean. You are very kind." 

Dean stood and scratched the back of his neck self-consciously. “Yeah, no problem, Cas. I’ll, uh, see you later.”

That was week one, and now it’s week four. Dean stops by Cas’ trailer regularly after difficult takes, but otherwise they are nothing more than cordial to one another.

Cas tries to ignore the moments when he sees Dean and Lisa together, but it’s difficult when they are so  _open_ about their relationship. It doesn’t make any sense, really. The Dean Winchester Cas used to admire from afar always kept his personal life extremely private. Now he’s appearing in magazines with her, going on public dates, not even trying to hide it from the rest of the cast and crew while they’re on set. 

Of course this would happen _after_ Cas has met him. It’s just his luck.

The day they have to film their first sex scene, Cas wakes up extra early and works out harder than he has in months. He’s been losing weight since he agreed to do this film, and he’s thinner than he’s been since high school. It sucks being an alpha and trying to _look_ like an omega, every part of his body protesting the change and demanding to be fed more. But now he’s incredibly lean with wiry muscles, and though it feels strange, he knows he at least looks good.

What he didn’t take into account is that Dean Winchester has also been preparing to look as “alpha” as possible. They both show up to set in bathrobes, looking nervous and shy and practically dripping with scent blockers. 

“You ready for this, Cas?” Dean asks softly while the technicians prepare the fake bedroom.

“I suppose. This is the worst part of acting, isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“But—I’ll do my best to make this as painless as possible, all right?”

“Right.”

Cas isn’t sure what he expected out of working with Dean Winchester, but for some reason he’s still surprised that the man is not a dick. He cares about the wellbeing of his costars and does whatever he can to make sure all of their jobs are as easy as possible. Cas has even seen him talking and laughing with technicians and cameramen between takes and during breaks, and he knows pretty much everyone on set by name. 

Even so, Cas’ heart rate still increases whenever Dean takes on that caring tone with him. 

Looking more scattered than usual, Chuck calls places and Dean squeezes Cas’ shoulder reassuringly before they separate to disrobe. 

And suddenly Cas is standing in front of the crew wearing nothing but a sleeve over his cock. A few people stare or even gasp, and it’s only then that Cas realizes how many crewmembers didn’t know that he was an alpha. It’s the first time in his life he’s been embarrassed about being well endowed.

Their attention is thankfully diverted by the sight of Dean, who looks like a fucking statue cut from marble. Cas could tell through his Henleys that Dean was muscular, but this is absurd. He looks less like an alpha and more like a superhero. Except he’s even _bigger_ than he was when he actually played a superhero.

And when Cas finally tears his eyes away from Dean’s biceps, he sees the sleeve around his cock and wonders how he ever thought this man could be an omega. Realizing how unprofessional it is to be ogling his coworker’s nearly naked body, Cas snaps his eyes back up to Dean’s face and finds—

Dean swallowing and sweating and staring directly at Cas’ cock.

So Cas, with newfound confidence, reaches down and adjusts his sleeve, causing Dean’s eyes to shoot up to his face. Cas smirks and winks. Dean’s ears turn bright red.

“OK, so if I could have Cas lying flat on his back,” Chuck starts. “Yeah, like that. And, uh, Dean, if you could hold Cas’ right leg in the crook of your arm. Excellent, yeah. Um, in this first shot you’re going to be kissing while you…thrust into Cas. And Cas, wrap your left—no, wait, that blocks Dean’s face, so wrap your right arm around his neck and—yeah, just like that.”

After Chuck finishes his instructions, Cas turns his head back to find Dean staring right into his eyes. His lips are parted and his pupils are dilated, but the scent in the air thankfully has not changed.

Coincidentally, this is also the first time their characters have kissed, which is a much bigger deal than faking the motions of sex. When Chuck yells action, Dean drops his forehead to Cas’ and takes a deep breath. He begins moving in slow circles. Cas focuses on matching his rhythm. He doesn’t realize he’s scratching the hair at the base of Dean’s neck until it’s too late to stop.

After a moment, Dean lifts his head and looks into Cas’ eyes, and Cas honestly can’t tell if this is Dean or Tag. Not wanting to wait any longer to find out, Cas reaches up and captures the man’s lips with his own.

A surprised moan comes out of Dean, but then he increases the pace of his fake thrusts and angles his head so the camera can capture their kiss. He runs his hand along Cas’ side. Cas can’t help but blindly grab his bicep.

Nobody says cut, so Dean deepens the kiss and teases his tongue into Cas’ mouth. He pulls it back quickly, but then Cas can’t help himself and surges his tongue into Dean’s mouth without warning. Dean gasps and pulls back, staring down at Cas like he’s seeing him for the first time, and then he’s on him again. He shifts their positions and hungrily licks into Cas’ mouth, which will look good on camera as a sign of his alpha instinct taking over.

 _Still_ nobody says cut, so Dean goes off book and begins kissing a line down Cas’ neck and chest. Cas is breathing fast and hard. He wishes he cared more to stop the erection that’s trying to break out of his sleeve. With a growl, he uses his superior strength to flip their positions and loom over Dean before crashing their mouths back together.

“Cut!” Chuck calls.

Cas comes back to himself in an instant, rolling off of Dean and trying to catch his breath.

He feels like an idiot, and not because it’s pretty obvious he was really into that. He feels like an idiot because he’s supposed to be playing an _omega,_ and he just manhandled his alpha like it was nothing. 

But then again, Dean let him. 

Cas turns his head and finds Dean staring up at the ceiling and breathing as hard as he is. But there’s something in the lines of Dean’s face, something calming and soft and...submissive? 

Hesitantly, Cas breathes in through his nose.

And smells Dean’s slick.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean wakes up with a pounding headache, so he rolls over and buries his nose in Lisa’s neck to try to ground himself.

“You all right, babe?” she asks sleepily. 

“Mm, fine. Sorry I woke you up. Needed to smell you.”

Lisa flips over and runs her fingers up and down Dean’s arm. “Something on your mind?” 

“You think, uh, people know?”

Lisa’s fingers stop. “How could they?”

“I don’t know. We did the-the first sex scene yesterday, and people were obviously surprised that Cas is an alpha. I mean, Jesus, there was no hiding his size. But then—I, uh, got aroused and had to ask for a break so I could, you know…”

“Deal with your slick before anybody noticed?”

“Yeah. That. But they might’ve smelled it.” 

Lisa smiles sympathetically and leans forward to kiss Dean’s collarbone. “If people find out, would it really be so bad?”

“I got fired from my first four jobs because I didn’t have scent blockers, so yeah, I think so.” 

She pushes back to cup his cheek and look at him very seriously. “Dean. That was 20 years ago. You’re one of the most well known actors in the _world_. I don’t think it’s going to ruin your life if people know the truth.”

“I could lose jobs though. And, because I’m so famous, everybody would be shocked. Disappointed. I would be offered totally different roles from—”

The sound of a pot dropping downstairs cuts Dean off.

“Ben? You OK?” Lisa shouts without making any moves to get up and go help him.

“Yeah, Mom! I’m fine!”

“I should probably meet the kid, huh?” Dean asks gruffly.

“He’s going to lose his shit and call you Steve Rogers, but yeah, you should.” 

Dean kisses Lisa’s cheek and says, “All right, let’s do it,” as he pulls the covers back to get out of bed.

He follows Lisa’s lead so as not to freak Ben out, but as soon as they step into the kitchen the 8-year-old sniffs the air and asks, “Mom, what’s that smell?” then answers his own question by turning away from the stove and staring up at Dean.

“What kind of 8-year-old cooks eggs for himself?” Dean mumbles to Lisa.

Ben’s mouth drops open. The spatula hangs limply from his hand. “You play Captain America,” he says in shock. 

Dean smiles and walks over to him. He crouches down to his height and answers, “I do. My name’s Dean. You must be Ben.”

“What are you doing in my house?” 

Unsure of what to say to that, Dean turns back to Lisa. 

She quickly replies, “Dean is a friend of mine, sweetie. He might hang out with us sometimes.” 

 _“Cool,”_ Ben breathes, still staring at Dean. 

“Ben,” Lisa says seriously. She doesn’t continue until she has her son’s attention. “You know Dean is an actor, right? He’s not actually a superhero.”

“I know! I know. He was on Ellen that one time.”

Dean laughs and tells Ben he’s happy to meet him. He tries to shake his hand, but the kid doesn’t move so Dean gives up. 

Lisa walks Dean to the door and tells him Ben will be more normal next time. They kiss, and Dean tells her he’s excited there’s going to be a “next time.”

On his drive home, Dean calls his brother.

“Hey, man, how’s the movie going?”

“Do you think true mates are a thing, Sammy?”

“Remember when you had a ‘no chick-flick moments’ rule? That was funny. Who smells good this time?”

“Nah, dude, this is worse than Cassie or Aaron. _Way_ worse.” Dean waves at some people at a stoplight and then throws his sunglasses on.

“Oh shit, then it must be serious.”

“Yeah, and it’s two people.”

“What?”

Dean rambles to his brother all about meeting Cas and then about meeting Lisa and immediately jumping into _something_ with her because it’s a whole hell of a lot safer to shack up with a non-famous female omega than a B-list male alpha, and he had to do something to distract himself from Cas’ scent. He wouldn’t normally open up this much to Sam, but this is the closest the world’s ever been to finding out Dean’s secret.

“So, what you’re saying is that you’re only with Lisa because you can’t be with this Novak guy? Don’t you think that means, I don’t know, if true mates _did_ exist, _he_ would be it?”

“No, it’s not like that. I mean, yeah, maybe his scent is _slightly_ better because he’s an alpha—at least, I think it is. He’s been wearing scent blockers for a fucking month.”

“Dean, get back to the point.”

Dean waves at his neighbors as he pulls into the driveway. “They’re both so enticing, Sammy. I…”

“You what?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never wanted to settle down, right?”

“Right, that’s why it’s never worked out with anybody before.”

Dean doesn’t say anything.

“Dean? You there?”

“Part of me really wants to risk outing myself to be with Cas. I mean, if he would even be interested. I want to know if he's interested.”

“Then what the _hell_ are you doing with Lisa?”

Dean isn’t really sure he wants to know the answer to that question.

 

* * *

 

It’s been two days and Cas still can’t stop thinking about it.

Dean hadn’t said anything while they were actually shooting the scene, but he _did_ ask for a break after the first take and disappeared faster than Cas has ever seen him move.

When he came back, he didn’t smell like slick anymore.

They did the scene four more times before Chuck was happy with it, and thankfully by the end it was more mechanic than anything else. They weren’t kissing with tongue or letting their hands wander too much. Cas managed not to break character and turn into an alpha halfway through the scene again.

However, they moved onto the “post-coital” scene immediately after, and that was so much worse.

Cas was supposed to lie flat on his back with one arm behind his head and the other wrapped around Dean. Dean was tucked into Cas’ side with his head on his chest and their legs tangled together. They were supposed to lie in silence for several seconds and “do what you think your characters would do” before delivering lines about why they decided not to knot this time and if that’s ever something they want to do.

So by the time they got to that scene, both of them had mostly sweated off their scent blockers. They could’ve asked for a break or for someone to bring them some, but there was a moment when the crew was redressing the bed around them as they lay on it, and with no eyes on them Dean buried his nose in Cas’ ribcage and took a deep breath before tilting his head up and looking at Cas with hooded eyes and a shy smile.

The sleeves make it painful to have an erection, but Cas didn’t really care at that point.

He smiled back at Dean and took a breath through his nose himself, and it wasn’t _quite_ arousal, but it was definitely _happy_ and _intrigued_ and _inviting_ and _content._

And Cas drank it up as if it was his to take.

When they called action, Cas and Dean both jumped out of their haze and shook themselves back into character. Cas took to staring up at the lights above them and lazily stroking his hand up and down Dean’s back. It was peaceful for several seconds as they lay in silence.

Then Dean started gently kissing Cas’ chest, starting with his nipple, and Cas gasped and arched off the bed _just_ enough. No, he wasn’t acting, but it would look fantastic on screen.

So he continued to react naturally to Dean’s peppering of light kisses, and by the time Dean got up to his neck and kissed in earnest, Cas was shivering and holding onto him like a lifeline.

“I’m not looking for a mate, you know.”

Tag. That was Tag saying that.

Cas closed his eyes and focused. “You’ve told me that a few times.”

“You’re OK? With me not…?”

_“Cut!”_

This time, instead of jumping, Cas and Dean relaxed into each other and resumed running fingertips along sweaty skin as if to soothe one another. Or stay in the moment. Or something. Dean smelled fucking amazing and Cas couldn’t string a coherent thought together. 

After six more takes, they moved onto scenes that neither Cas nor Dean are in. The two didn’t say anything to each other as they clamored off the bed and put their robes back on to return to their trailers.

Ten minutes later, Cas found himself knocking on Dean’s door. He had put regular clothes back on, but he didn’t bother with scent blockers. 

Dean, of course, had. When he opened the door, it was like the whole place had been scent blocked. But Dean at least let him inside and asked him if he wanted anything to drink, to which Cas replied that he wouldn’t be staying very long.

“I just wanted to, ah, check on you,” Cas stated uncomfortably.

Dean huffed a laugh and scratched the back of his neck. “Isn’t this usually the other way around?”

“Yes, but…” _I know you’re an omega and for some reason that information is giving me the instinct to take care of you?_

Another laugh. “I’m good, Cas. That was really, uh, good.” 

“I think so. I hope it looks as good on camera as it—um, felt.”

They both cleared their throats and stared at the floor.

And then somebody knocked.

“Come in,” Dean called.

Benny stepped into the room and adopted a confused (and wary?) expression when he spotted Cas. 

“Heya, Benny. You know Cas?” Dean said by way of introduction.

“Yeah, we’ve met. We got a scene together one of these days,” Benny replied as he stuck his hand out to Cas. 

Cas stood and replied that yes, they did have one or two scenes together coming up in the future. Then they shook hands and silently sized each other up in a common alpha ritual that Cas generally enjoys because he’s really good at winning staring contests. 

“Anyway, just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing, Dean,” Benny continued after turning away from Cas. “Hadn’t seen you in a couple of days.” 

“Yeah, thanks, man. I’ve been, uh, in most of the scenes we’ve done lately.”

As Dean talked, Cas tried to sneak out past Benny. However, as he neared the door, Benny turned and said, “Hold on now, where you headed so fast?”

There was a smile on Benny’s face, but he still seemed aggressive. “Um, I just figured I would give you two time to catch up. I’ve got—”

“Nah, man, we ain’t exclusive,” Benny joked. “And I’m the one who interrupted, remember? Why don’t you come have a seat?” 

Cas shrugged and obeyed. His only comfort was that Dean threw him an apologetic look.

“Now tell me, Cas, how does an alpha like you get landed in a role like Taylor Talley?”

“Benny, come on, it’s not—”

“I’ve never played an alpha on camera,” Cas interrupted, letting just a bit of a growl into his voice. “Chuck did not know I was an alpha until we met.” 

“But it’s not a problem? Acting like an omega, I mean.”

Benny was baiting him, and although Cas had no idea why, he wasn’t going to lose this game. “Lucky for me, my costar is a very convin—good alpha. It’s easy to naturally act his opposite.”

“Hmm,” was all Benny responded.

So Cas, letting his instincts get the better of him, blurted out, “Actually, I have had one small problem so far. Today, even.” He turned and stared at Dean. “Sex scenes are difficult, and it was especially taxing ignoring my natural inclination to take charge in bed.”

Dean cleared his throat and smoothed his hair down, but Benny just laughed.

So Cas stood back up and announced, “If you’ll excuse me,” and disappeared out of Dean Winchester’s trailer.

 

* * *

 

"You're OK, right? With being in the, uh, spotlight?"

Lisa laughs lightly and tucks her hair behind her ear. "I know what I signed up for, Dean.”

He stares at the TV and squeezes Lisa’s knee. They’re watching some stupid game show, and Dean has no idea what’s going on. Ben is asleep in the rocking armchair next to them and probably should’ve been put to bed half an hour ago. When Dean doesn’t say anything else, Lisa scoots closer to him and drops her head on his shoulder.

“A girl recognized me at the store on Sunday. She asked if you and I were really together while she stared at my neck searching for a mating bite.”

Dean tenses and squeezes her knee even harder. “Did she ask you to sign her underwear? People are always asking me to sign their damn underwear.”

“No, sadly, she didn’t. She was actually a theater student considering switching from costumes to hair and makeup. We talked for several minutes about her career options and what I do and all of that. She was lovely and only asked about your dick size twice.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding. You need to relax once in a while.”

“Yeah, well, _you_ need to relax.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to put Ben to bed.”

Before Lisa can protest, Dean untangles his limbs from her and shakes the kid awake. Ben stirs and flips over, but he definitely doesn’t wake up. When Dean reaches down to pick him up, Ben wraps his arms and legs around him and rests his head on his shoulder like that’s where he’d like to sleep for the rest of the night.

“OK, c’mon, buddy.”

Ten minutes later, Dean finishes tucking Ben in and turns to find Lisa waiting in the doorway with her pajamas on. She takes Dean’s hand when he gets close enough to her, and then she pulls him all the way to her bedroom and shuts the door behind them.

She doesn’t say anything before sealing their mouths together and pulling off Dean’s flannel button down. They stay standing as they awkwardly remove each other’s clothes and try to maintain the kiss. Once Dean is down to his boxers Lisa pushes him back onto the bed and straddles his hips.

His hands are immediately on her, stroking up her sides and cupping her breasts before reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. He flings it across the room and surges forward to suck her nipple into his mouth. She moans and rocks forward. He’s got his arms wrapped around her back, but she grabs one of his hands and pushes it into her other breast and encourages him to squeeze.

The smell of their arousal mixes together and becomes indistinguishable from one another, and Dean thinks it might be the best thing his nose has ever encountered. He slides his hips forward and back so his erection can get some friction against Lisa’s panties, but it’s not nearly enough.

Lisa gets the hint and lifts up so she can kick her panties off while Dean shimmies out of his boxer briefs. She shoves Dean onto his back again and kisses a line down his torso until she reaches his cock. Her lips fold over the head and slowly inch down until she’s gone as far as she can, and she takes the rest of his shaft in her hand with a perfect amount of pressure. She moves slowly up and down, hollowing out her cheeks on the upstrokes and releasing on the down. Dean wonders what the hell she did before they got into bed, because her mouth is _cold_ , and he didn’t even notice when they were kissing but now it feels fucking amazing. He grabs her shoulder to steady her and sneaks his other hand under her arm to play with her breast.

After a few minutes, Lisa gives him one final lick but keeps her hand on him as she positions herself above him.

“I want you inside me so bad, Dean,” she whispers, and it sounds like a goddamn prayer.

Dean may or may not whimper in response. He holds onto her hips for dear life as she slowly sinks down on his cock inch by inch until she’s fully seated. Her slick is all over his balls and thighs, and she shuts her eyes and looks up at the ceiling as she adjusts to being filled.

They start to move after a minute or so, slow circles and lazy thrusts like they have all the time in the world. Lisa bends down to kiss Dean, and the new angle makes it easier for him to rock into her at a more intense pace.

Eventually they flip their positions so that Dean is above her. He grabs her breasts again and lavishes her neck and jaw with kisses until she comes with a small gasp. With all of her muscles relaxing around him, Dean is quick to follow. It’s the first time they’ve done this without a condom. Lisa arches off the bed when she feels Dean’s release. Dean collapses on top of her when he’s done, and they lie together breathing heavily for a minute.

“You can pull out, you know,” Lisa says.

Dean complies with a grunt and then falls beside her on his back. “You’d be too impatient for a guy with a knot.”

“Tell that to my ex.”

They fall asleep on opposite sides of the bed, naked and covered in slick.

Lisa doesn’t notice that Dean didn’t produce any slick at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently Chris Evans doesn't exist in this AU /sorry


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for omega-related insults.

When Dean was new in the business, he was an idiot. His first audition was when he was 13 and trying to land a recurring role on _Full House._ It didn’t work out. 

His second audition at 15, third and fourth at 16, fifth and sixth and seventh at 17 until finally, on the eighth try, he was cast in _Starship Troopers_ as Carl Jenkins. They smelled him on day one. That alpha fucker Neil Patrick Harris replaced him by day two.

It happened three more times within the next year before Dean realized the problem and bought scent blockers. In fact, his smell is so strong that he had to get a _prescription._ Standing in line at the pharmacy at age 18, he wondered how many casting directors smelled him as early as auditions and didn’t give him a second glance.  

His next role all but fell into his lap. Without the stigma of _omega_ surrounding him, Dean had everything going for him. Tall, good-looking, white, male. He picked up a spot on _Ally McBeal_ and played a regular character for two seasons.

Of course, during filming of his third or fourth episode, he went into heat.

It could’ve gotten him fired. Luckily the people in charge believed him when he said he was highly contagious and couldn’t get out of bed, and his scenes were rescheduled.

So at the age of 19, he went to the clinic and got suppressants. The doctor told him she was a huge fan of the show and “never would’ve guessed your gender designation.” Dean thought that was unprofessional of her to say, but he still smiled all the way home. It was the first time anyone recognized him, and he wanted to get drunk on the feeling.

That was when he really, truly turned into a moron.

He was young and had everything going for him and he didn’t give a shit about the rest. He had been through enough already, thank you very much. Now it was time to make it big.

And he did. By the time he was 21, he had hired a bodyguard and didn’t shy away from the paparazzi. He wore expensive clothes and lived in a big house and fucked _a lot_ of women. All he had to do was walk down the street and people would basically fall down and worship him. One time a beta chick ripped her shirt open and threw her bra at his face with dozens of witnesses. Dean made sure she didn’t get arrested.

He was Dean Winchester, a name everybody in the United States and a lot of people overseas knew. He was cocky and self-centered and he abused his fame to get whatever he wanted.

In short, he was an idiot. 

He had two saving graces. The first was that he never slept with any men, so there were never any rumors that he was an omega. (One time he passed by Neil Patrick Harris at a party and the dude smirked like he knew Dean’s dirty little secret and Dean went home and dry heaved into the sink and thought about all the people he met when he was a teenager and wondered if they saw him on TV and in movies and thought about sabotaging him. He was over it by the next morning.) The second saving grace was that despite being an arrogant kid, he still had a reputation of being nice. Because not only was he arrogant, he was also excited. He became friends with everybody in the cast and on the crew, he showed up early and stayed late, he went to everything he was invited to and even threw parties at his own home, and he was _never_ too tired to take a picture and chat with a fan even if he was just trying to buy groceries. 

Dean is glad he grew up. He’s glad he didn’t get pinned as the spoiled rich kid with daddy issues. He’s glad he learned to value privacy and to hoard it when given the chance.

But most of all, he’s glad that being an idiot didn’t turn him into somebody he’s not.

 

* * *

 

“You’re different. Than other omegas, I mean.”

“No, I’m not.” 

“But I—you’re so much more—”

“You think you’re giving me a compliment by putting down every other omega? By making me into something ‘special’ just because I don’t conform to your stereotypes?’

“No! Taylor, that’s not what I—”

“Cut!”

Dean and Cas break eye contact while the scene is reset. Cas overhears Chuck talking to the script supervisor and A.D., and sure enough two minutes later he comes over and says they’re going to rewrite his last line. He feels a little self-conscious and wonders if he’s been playing Taylor a bit too political minded. His character is supposed to be the sympathetic one, the strong one that the audience listens to and learns from. But if he’s too aggressive, then the point will be lost.

“Hey,” Dean whispers, leaning up against the kitchen counter between them. 

Cas responds by looking up at him.

“You’re doing great, Cas. I think this is going really well.”

Cas feels warm all of a sudden. “Thanks, Dean. Are you sure I’m not being too aggressive?”

“Yeah, positive. They’re probably rewriting the line because _they_ fucked up. It’s a cheesy fucking line.”

“We can hear you, Dean,” Chuck calls from behind the camera.

“Sorry! My bad,” Dean says before turning back to Cas and making a face that says  _yikes_.

Cas laughs and drops his head and decides that Dean Winchester is an incredible coworker.

That is, until two takes later when Lisa comes on set to fix their hair, and Dean pinches her ass and winks as she walks away. When he turns back to Cas, he clears his throat and shifts his feet several times like he can’t believe what he just did.

The rest of the day is full of sitting around in his trailer and shooting scenes with a couple of new faces—a powerfully scented alpha actor who goes by the single name of Gabriel and a young beta named Jo Harvelle. They seem nice enough until they have some downtime between takes and Gabriel speaks up immediately.

“So what’s it like banging the great Dean Winchester?”

“Um. Excuse me?”

“You know! Doing the nasty in front of some cameras and a bunch of sweaty crew guys. Is he as buff as he looks under those Henleys?” Gabriel stares off into the distance and adds, “I bet even his shit has muscles.”

Jo rolls her eyes, but she seems more amused than annoyed.

Cas answers, “Yes, he is very in shape. But I think it’s unprofessional to discuss our coworker like this.”

Gabriel waves him off and continues, “Aw, c’mon. Dean Winchester isn’t a ‘coworker,’ he’s a fucking _god_. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t bang him. I mean, I know you’re both alphas, but still.”

“Dean’s not an alpha,” Jo says quickly. 

When Gabriel and Cas both turn their attention to her, her mouth drops open like she’s just said something she wasn’t supposed to.

“Uh, I mean—”

“Oh, I’m going to become _good_ friends with you,” Gabriel says with a strange sort of alpha aggression in his voice that Cas doesn’t like at all.

“All I’m saying is, what kind of alpha wears scent blockers?” Jo backtracks.

“I’m an alpha and I wear scent blockers,” Cas counters.

“Yeah, but you’re playing an _omega._ It makes sense for you to wear blockers so the other actors don’t get all hot and bothered thinking about your big ol’ knot,” Gabriel says. “If Dean’s an alpha playing an alpha, then why go all neutral?”

Luckily the A.D. calls places and the conversation doesn’t continue.

But Cas and Jo share a look before the scene starts, a look that says they are both in on a very profound secret. 

She approaches him about it later that night when he’s in his trailer.

“I know Dean,” she says by way of greeting. 

“What?”

“I was in an episode of _Ally McBeal_ , we became friends, then we became best friends, and now here we are.” She grabs a soda out of Cas’ fridge and plops down on his couch.

“How come I’ve never seen you two—”

“Dean likes his privacy. I’m not that famous, so it’s easy for me. How’d you find out?” 

“That Dean is…?” 

“An omega, yeah. What gave it away?” 

Cas sighs and runs both hands through his hair. He decides to tell half-truths. “We had a sex scene, and I smelled his slick before he asked for a break to take care of it.”

“Wait, what?”

“Um, I smelled his slick? I don’t under—”

“Dean doesn’t _produce_ slick, not unless he skips his suppressants for, like, a week. Which he only does _between_ filming.”

For some reason, Cas’ heart rate increases with this information. “What do you mean ‘between’ filming?”

“You know, the downtime between jobs or whatever. When all he’s doing is interviews and fucking chicks.” Jo looks away like she’s just had a revelation and says, “Unless...Oh. It could be, uh, Lisa.”

His heart slows again. “Right. Of course.” 

“Hey, wait. You _like_ him, don’t you?”

“He’s Dean Winchester, of course I like him. Who doesn’t like him?”

“No, but you’re, like—”

“Jo. Please.” He doesn’t use his alpha voice, but he might as well have.

“All right. Um. I’m going to go. It was nice to meet you, Castiel.”

After she leaves, Cas takes a deep breath and tries not to hate Lisa Braeden.

 

* * *

 

Two months into filming, Cas throws a big party at his house and invites all of the cast and crew.

Dean, for the most part, attends parties and functions whenever his schedule allows, but this event happens to fall on a day when his brother is in town. He hasn’t seen Sam in three months, and there’s no way in hell he’s dragging him to a party with a bunch of drunk attention whores.

“What are you talking about? Of course I want to go to Castiel’s party,” Sam responds when Dean brings it up.

“No, Sam, you don’t—”

“Is Lisa going?”

“That’s not the—yes, she’s going. She asked me if I was going, and I told her no.”

“So? Call her back now and tell her _yes.”_  

Dean stares at his brother with all the hatred he can muster, but Sam just looks back at him with a goofy grin like this is all so hilarious to him.

Twenty-four hours later, Dean and Sam and Lisa pull up in front of a modest art deco style home in Pasadena. They don’t bother knocking since they can hear the commotion inside, but people still flip their shit when they come in. Apparently there are a lot of mates and friends and family members at this party that have probably never met anybody as famous as Dean before.

And suddenly Dean is a teenager again and drinking up the attention.

Sam disappears after about five minutes, presumably to hit up any cute betas or omegas floating around. He is alpha in all the ways Dean has had to fake on camera for his entire career, and for this fact Dean is absolutely sure his brother won’t be going home alone tonight.

Dean, on the other hand, might be.

After the third fan stops him and asks for pictures and talks for five minutes straight, Lisa says she’s going to get a drink and doesn’t wait for Dean to answer before disappearing into the crowd. Dean knows, logically, that he should probably go after her. He should spend the whole night by her side, getting to know other people _together._ Act mated even though they don’t have the marks to prove it. But there are so many people here that look at Dean like he’s the thing they’ve been waiting for all their lives, and he can’t help it.

He’s an idiot.

An hour into the party, he’s in the living room surrounded by a group of about 20 people all listening with rapt attention as he tells a funny story from a movie he did a couple of years ago. He’s a little bit drunk, but luckily not too drunk to say something stupid like, “I wanted Chris Hemsworth to fuck me so bad during the last _Avengers_ movie.” (Which, for the record, he’s _never_ said to anyone.) 

He’s also not drunk enough not to notice Cas’ scent when the alpha passes by the living room without even glancing in Dean’s direction. 

He _is_ drunk enough to say, “Excuse me for a second,” to the crowd before chasing after Cas like a fucking _idiot._

“Hey! Hey, Cas!”

Cas turns and narrows his eyes at Dean as if to ask, _“What the hell are you doing here?”_

“I, uh,” Dean starts, realizing he has nothing he actually needs to say to the other man. “Um, wanted to thank you for having this party. It’s, uh, great. Yeah.”

Cas’ mouth quirks up into a smile as he says, “Thank you, Dean. You seem to be the life of the party.” 

“Oh, well, I mean…lots of fans here I guess, and I…”

“Cas, we’re out of—oh my god.”

Dean looks down at the teenager and flashes a smile and a wink. He sticks out his hand and greets, “I’m Dean.”

She stares at his hand and cautiously takes it before saying, “I’m Claire. Cas has told me a lot about you.” 

“Oh, really? How do you know Cas?”

“Claire is my stepdaughter.” 

Before Dean can question the implications of that, Claire corrects, “ _Ex-_ stepdaughter. He and my mom broke up when I was like 10.”

“Yes, and I just can’t seem to get rid of her,” Cas says dryly.

“Anyway, huge fan of your work,” Claire continues, sounding more confident than she did when this conversation started. “Cas and I have watched a lot of your movies together.”

_“Claire—”_

“Oh, really? Cas, you a fan of my work, too?” Dean crosses his arms and looks down at the alpha smugly.

Cas straightens up, and suddenly Dean’s blindsided by the smell of strength and annoyance. “I am.”

Dean swallows and breaks eye contact with Cas before they get into some weird staring contest.

“Well, this is just a hoot,” Claire says drily. “If you’ll excuse me, Dean Winchester, I need Cas’ help getting another keg set up. It was lovely to meet you.”

Claire hooks her arm through Cas’ and spins them both around to walk away from Dean. Cas looks over his shoulder and narrows his eyes again before Claire yanks him forward.

Dean decides to get a lot drunker.

He’s not entirely sure about the time, but the party is progressively getting louder which means a lot of people are probably as drunk and incoherent as Dean feels. At one point, he stumbles his way to the bathroom and remembers to check his phone. He has a text from Lisa that simply says, _I’m going home._

He doesn’t think much of it as he pockets his phone, and when he comes out of the bathroom he finds Sam leaning up against a fireplace talking to Cas of all people.

“…Not as bad as I thought it would be,” Cas is saying when Dean joins them. 

“What’s not as bad?” Dean asks, swaying in between Cas and Sam unsteadily.

“Cas was just telling me what it’s like playing an omega. He’s never played one before.”

“I’ve never played one either.” It’s something Dean would never say sober, but he gets a lot more self-centered when he’s drunk.

“Dean, you all right? Want me to get you home?” Sam asks, and for some reason he sounds and smells worried.

“What? Party’s just getting started.”

Cas and Sam look at each other, but Dean just grins.

“You guys smell like shit. All aggression and-and—hic— _alpha.”_

“OK, seriously, Dean, I’m taking you home,” Sam says forcefully, pushing Dean toward the hallway.

“Wait, Cas! Come with us!” Dean calls, but Sam shushes him and Cas doesn’t follow.

Once they get outside, Sam shoves Dean down into a rocking chair on the front porch. The force almost tips it over.

“What the hell was that, Dean? Do you _want_ people to know? If Cas had any suspicions before, he definitely knows—are you even listening to me? Dean?”

There are a few set crew guys on the other side of the porch smoking and smelling all _wrong_. They’re all alphas.

“I hate dumb bitches, man. I swear, if I ever had to actually _work_ with an omega…” 

“Oh dude, I worked with one once. He was the whiniest piece of shit I’ve ever met. And stupid as fuck. If he hadn’t smelled so goddamn enticing, I would’ve—”

The guy doesn’t get to finish his sentence. Dean punches him out cold.

There are still three others, and Dean manages to take out one more before the other two get a hold of him and start laughing in his face. One of them punches him in the eye. 

And then Sam pulls them off of him.

Dean wakes up in his own bed with a pounding headache and a black eye.

 

* * *

 

 _“Any speculation about Dean Winchester’s gender designation can officially be put to rest. That’s right, Hollywood’s sweetheart is all alpha. At his_ Bright Atlanta _costar Castiel Novak’s house party on Saturday, Winchester reportedly attacked a group of alphas—four to one. It’s still undetermined what the fight was about, but we do know that Dean was belligerently drunk and took out two guys before his brother Sam Winchester intervened and got Dean out of there._

_"One of the alphas, a man named Gordon Walker, has already pressed charges. The other three, however, could not be reached for comment. Rumors that Dean Winchester paid them off would seem unfounded if it weren’t for Dean’s behavior early on in his career. That scuffle with Lucy Liu way back in 2001 ring any bells?_

_"So what could this mean for Dean Winchester’s career? Now that the world knows he’s a violent, possibly alcoholic, alpha, will he lose his spot in the next_ Avengers? _Will he get fired from his current Carver Edlund project? Stay tuned.”_  


	6. Chapter 6

Reporters are swarmed outside of Castiel’s house, but he just shuts his blinds and sends Claire out to tell them to fuck off. 

“You were on E! News this morning,” Hannah says by way of greeting when she comes into the kitchen.

“Hmm?” Cas hasn’t had enough caffeine to hold a real conversation yet.

“Dean Winchester apparently got drunk and knocked some alphas out? Was that after I had gone to bed?”

Cas nods. 

“Did you see it?” 

“No, but Sam Winchester informed me in between his hundred apologies.” 

“Yes, the news mentioned a brother. What do you think will happen?”

Cas shrugs. He honestly has no idea. He doesn’t even know how to feel about it. 

After several minutes of silence, Cas asks, “What about you? Did you have a nice time at the party?”

“I did. Thank you for inviting me to meet all of your famous friends.” 

“Did you even recognize a single one of them?”

“Only the ones who have appeared on E! News.”

Cas laughs and tips back the rest of his coffee. His sister is so unaffected by everyone that he sometimes wonders if she really is an alpha. Of course, until recently people had said the same thing about _him_.

Claire slams the door behind her a few minutes later and stomps into the kitchen with a scowl on her face. “Do me a favor, Cas. Don’t ever invite me over again.”

“I let you drink and hang out with famous people last night. Don’t tell me you’re—”

“What are the reporters asking, Claire?” Hannah interrupts.

“Oh, you know, if anyone was doing drugs at the party, what happened in the aftermath of the fight, if I had any idea how the fight started. It’s bullshit that they think I would tell them things even if I _did_ have any answers.”

“So what did you say to them?” Hannah asks.

“I told them that nobody knew anything and they should quit wasting their time. Then they kept asking me questions so I told them I was calling the cops and left. Cas, have you talked to Dean?”

“Why would I have talked to Dean?”

“I don’t know, it seems like he would call and apologize? What, you just go back to set tomorrow and pretend like everything’s the same?”

“I…don’t know.”

“Well, _that’s_ going to be fun.”

 

* * *

 

Dean has six missed calls from Crowley and three from Lisa. Sam is standing outside his bedroom door with his arms crossed when Dean emerges.

“You mind telling me what that was about?” Sam asks, his voice laced with alpha rage.

“Fuck off, Sammy.” 

Sam can get as mean and demanding as he wants. It has no hold over Dean.

He walks right past his brother and out to the garage. He changes his mind on his way to his car and decides to take Sam’s instead. Reporters might not know where his house is, but they’ll sure as hell follow him if they see his car out on the main road. 

Dean knocks on Lisa’s door for 15 minutes straight before Ben comes and opens it.

“Mom told me not to answer the door, but I knew it was you.”

“Heya, kid. You should listen to your mom, all right? Go, get back to your room.”

Ben frowns like he can’t believe he just got in trouble with a superhero, but he runs off anyway. Dean leans against the doorframe and waits the three minutes it takes Lisa to cave and come to the door.

“I don’t even know where to begin with your behavior last night, Dean.”

“They were talking about omega men.”

“What?”

Dean hesitantly steps inside the house and waits for Lisa's silent permission before meeting her in the foyer. “The guys I hit. I was so mad, Lis. The things they were saying…”

“You can’t go around punching people when they say shitty things, Dean. I don’t care how much they deserved it.” 

“I know. I know that, I do. Haven’t done that since high school actually,” he mumbles.

“What are you going to do to fix it?”

“What?”

“To fix it, Dean. Those men will probably press charges, and you’re a _very_ public person. This is already hurting your reputation, which I know you care about.”

Dean takes a deep breath in and smells traces of Lisa’s concern in the air. “Uh, I’ll pay them off. That’s what they’ll want, right? My money?”

“The public might take that the wrong way, like you’re cheating the system or hiding something. I think—” Lisa cuts herself off and shakes her head. 

“What? What do you think I should do?”

“Tell the truth. I think you should reveal your gender identity and explain why you’re so sensitive about the subject.”

“No. I can’t. You know I can’t.”

Lisa brings her hand up to his face and gently strokes his cheek with her thumb before tracing lightly over his black eye. “Then try contacting the men. Explain yourself and apologize. And hope for the best.”

She starts to pull away, but Dean grabs her hand and brings her wrist up to his nose like he did the day they met. Lisa shivers. The scent between them turns affectionate.

“Lis.”

“It’s not that easy, Dean. I saw a side of you last night that I didn’t want to see, and I don’t know what to do with that.”

Dean holds her wrist steady as he says, “I, uh. I like the attention. Fans, I mean. I like how they treat me. Makes me feel special.”

“You’re great to your fans, I know that. And they love you. But, sweetie, you can’t ignore the people in your life just because you like the fans’ attention more.”

“It’s not like that! I-I just get caught up, all right? I’m, uh, not used to having my time split.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I haven’t had a personal life in a long time, OK? Not since before I was famous enough to get stopped at parties for pictures and autographs. I don’t know how to do it. But, Lisa, please—I want to figure it out with you. Help me. Please?” Dean knows his fear is showing even through his scent blockers, and he hopes Lisa understands that this is the most vulnerable he’s been in a long time.

She pulls him down for a soft kiss and then holds the back of his neck while she says, “Call your agent. Get all of this publicity sorted out and make sure you haven’t gotten fired from the shoot. Then we can talk some more, OK?”

“’Kay.”

“And, Dean?”

“Hmm?" 

“I care about you, you know that, right? I cared about you before I even met you. You’re going to be all right.”

Dean doesn’t know what to say, so he just nods and holds onto Lisa like he really believes her.

He’s going to be OK.

 

* * *

 

No reporters on set. That’s the nice thing about going back to work on Monday. 

Cas has no idea if Dean Winchester is even still _doing_ this movie, but he sees Benny leaving his trailer when he walks past him in the morning, so that’s a good sign that the omega hasn’t been fired. Yet. 

Benny narrows his eyes at Cas and sets his jaw in some archaic display of aggression, and Cas is too tired to do anything but mimic the expression with a hint of condescension. He briefly wonders if Benny knows that Dean is an omega and is therefore particularly protective of him. Especially from other alphas.

Cas doesn’t even get the chance to close the door to his trailer before Dean is running up and asking if they can talk for a second. Of course Cas lets him inside. Dean immediately begins explaining himself.

“Dude, I am so sorry about the other night. I was drunk, and those guys were being assholes, and I-I didn’t mean to fuck everything up. It was an awesome party, and I, uh, ruined it.” 

“Those guys, what did they say?” 

“What?” 

“The men you hit. What made you hit them?”

“It was nothing.”

Cas moves into Dean’s personal space and coaxes him into making eye contact. “You are an even-tempered man, Dean, but I know that was learned and not naturally given. You can tell me about the weight you’re carrying.”

Dean gulps. His eyes flick to Cas’ lips and back up. “They, um, used some slurs. And talked a-about rape. Like it was normal. I couldn’t…” He drops his head and rubs his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. 

On instinct, Cas pulls Dean into his arms and soothes, “Shh. You’re OK, Dean. Personally, I would’ve forcibly kicked them out of my home had I heard them, but your method is effective, too. I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

Dean pulls back with red eyes, his eyebrows pinched together. “You’re not mad?”

“No, I’m not mad. Of course I think you need to be more careful considering your level of fame, but I’m sure your agent and PR people have already discussed that with you. Now, one more thing. We’re still in this movie together, correct?”

Dean nods and wipes his nose.

“Good. I can’t imagine another Tag Nielson.”

“Thanks, Cas,” he says a little sadly as he starts to head out of the trailer. 

“Oh, and Dean? You might want to reapply your scent blockers.”

Dean’s eyes widen and his face drains of color.

“I-I mean if you want to hide the fact that you’ve been, um, emotional,” Cas quickly corrects.

Luckily Dean relaxes and nods before heading out.

Cas also needs to reapply his scent blockers on account of smelling like a huge liar.

 

* * *

 

It could’ve been a lot worse. Sure, Crowley reamed Dean a new one, but then after he calmed down he explained everything Dean had to do to cover up this whole mess. 

He could keep his job, which was the best news. It would’ve been really shitty for them to find a new actor this late in the game, and it also would’ve ensured that Dean never work with any of these people again.

He needed to publicly apologize, which was expected. He wanted to do that anyway. Dean had worked on handling his aggression for too many years of his life to suddenly become a violent asshole. That’s not who he was.

Unfortunately for him, he hadn’t recognized any of the guys he punched at the party. They were the guys who built the sets before Dean even came onto location, and they did scene changes literally while Dean had his back turned. They weren’t like cameramen or costumers or any of the other hundred or so technicians and artists Dean could potentially come in contact with every day. Which means it's going to be difficult to get the charges dropped before they get to a district attorney. 

Dean’s first scene of the day is with Jo, who he hasn’t talked to in way too long, and Bela, who he avoids talking to if he can manage it.

Jo keeps kicking him under the booth they’re sitting in, and between takes she glares at him like she’s trying to have a telepathic conversation. Bela keeps rolling her eyes and giving off pissed alpha scent, which Dean hates because it instinctively makes him curl in on himself even while the cameras are rolling. A fucking decent human would wear scent blockers, but not Bela apparently.

“Did you work things out with Lisa?” Jo whispers when Chuck takes a particularly long time reviewing a shot.

“Oh, _really?”_ Bela complains.

Jo shoots her a look, and Bela crosses her arms and turns away.

“She didn’t break up with me, so that’s good I guess. And I didn’t get fired, so that’s good, too.” 

“Ah, yes, because the great Dean Winchester can do whatever he wants and get away with it, is that it?” Bela asks.

“Tell me, Bela, do you have to sleep on your stomach so you don’t poke yourself with that giant stick up your ass?”

Bela gapes at Jo before setting her jaw and lifting her chin.

“Oooh, alpha dominance, I’m _so_ scared,” Jo mocks.

Dean hides his laughter behind his hand. Aggressive alphas aren’t so scary when Jo is around. 

“Did you apologize to Cas?”

“Of course I did.”

“How, uh, good of friends are you guys?”

“Not very, why?”

Bela suddenly leans forward and smirks at Dean. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed that you and the small alpha were going to rumple some sheets off camera. Sure looked that way at the table read, but I guess things change.”

“He’s not _small,”_ Dean mumbles intelligently.

Jo kicks him hard.

“Oh,” Bela says as her eyebrows disappear into the bangs of her wig. “So Dean Winchester _does_ like men, then. Interesting.” 

“You know what else is interesting? You’re theoretically twice as strong as me, but I could still punch your lights out,” Jo responds. “And I’m not famous enough to care about the consequences.”

“Your fierce protectiveness of this highly capable man is really beginning to bring into question what scent he’s hiding under those blockers." 

Dean freezes, but Jo just rolls her eyes and recovers with, “Like he has anything to do with the fact that you drive me up the fucking wall.”

The A.D. finally calls for the scene to be reset, and they don’t get another chance to talk. Bela’s scent neutralizes after a few minutes. Dean relaxes while an artisan reapplies makeup over his black eye. He really should try to hang out with Jo outside of work more often. 

After lunch, they film the scene where Tag and Taylor make out in the middle of breaking up. They have angry lines to say in between kissing passionately and holding onto each other’s collars, and for some reason Dean is excited about it.

Cas, on the other hand, seems on edge and distracted.

He messes up in the first 30 seconds of the first take and gruffly says, “My apologies,” before shaking it off and trying again. Usually Cas might laugh at his own blunders or get adorably angry with himself, but today he’s all stoic and way too professional. It’s unnerving.

It isn’t until the third take that they actually get to the kissing part. Dean pushes his tongue into Cas’ mouth without even thinking. Cas pulls back at first but quickly catches on and angles his head so both their tongues can slot together. The camera is probably picking up the unnecessary movement, but Dean can’t find it in himself to care. He’s the one who messes up this take by forgetting to pull back and actually say lines. Chuck calls cut after a 15-second make-out session.

Cas clears his throat and looks down in embarrassment. Dean wonders if he thinks _he’s_ the one who messed up the take. In any case, they’re both fucked. 

They finally get through the scene in the fourth take, but then during the fifth Dean whimpers and allows Cas to take control, and Chuck calls cut immediately.

It’s Dean’s worst nightmare when Chuck walks up to him and tries to explain that he’s the _alpha_ here and, “I get that you’re probably not a very aggressive kisser in real life, but Tag is definitely aggressive,” and, “I need you to be less gentle for me, all right?”

“Kind of wishing I’d gotten fired,” Dean mutters to Cas once Chuck walks away. Cas laughs out loud.

Chuck turns around and looks between them self-consciously, but they just wave him off.

Dean is still too submissive in the sixth take.

His only saving grace in this pile of humiliation is that Cas doesn’t comment on it.

The weird thing is that Dean’s never had this problem before. He’s never been turned on during a scene, he’s never let his dumb omega instincts take over when he’s playing an alpha, and he’s definitely never had to ask for a break to reapply scent blockers.

He thinks that _maybe_ the tired, blue eyes staring back at him have something to do with it.


	7. Chapter 7

After a week or so, reporters move on and forget that Castiel was ever involved in Dean Winchester’s “scandal.” He’s left again to his quiet life where nobody recognizes him, and he can spend the little free time he has with the two most important people in his life: his stepdaughter and his sister. 

Of course, when his stepdaughter and sister insist that they meet him for dinner on his one night off, he’s less than thrilled to see two other women sitting at the table with them.

“Jo, it’s nice to see you. I didn’t know you were acquainted with my family,” Cas says to his coworker as he takes a seat next to her. “And you are?”

The redheaded beta extends her hand and says, “Charlie. Sorry for crashing your family time, bro.”

“Charlie’s a costumer on your set, Cas,” Claire explains. “We met at the party.” 

“I thought I knew most of the costumers, but I don’t remember—”

“That’s because I'm a milliner. I spend more time with the washer and dryer than I do with stinky actors. Except for Jo, of course, who bugs me any chance she gets.”

“Not my fault my trailer is right next to your shop.”

“Charlie was just telling us that she made the prosthetics for Jennifer Lawrence’s costume in X-Men,” Hannah says.

“Yeah,” Charlie responds with a wistful sigh. “I was saying what a shame it was I was too young to do it for Rebecca Romijn. I’d let that alpha do whatever she wants to me.”

“It’s been like 10 years and I’m still confused as to how they hid her lady dick in that costume,” Claire adds. 

_“Claire—”_

“They aren’t very big."

_“Hannah—”_

“Oh, shut up, Cas. This was more fun before you got here,” Claire says through a laugh.

Cas glares at her and crosses his arms. He might be an alpha, but he’s all but useless surrounded by this group of women. He wonders if it would be prudent of him to make some male friends but quickly brushes the thought aside when an image of him and Benny and Gabriel hanging out together flashes through his mind.

“I’m only 17, I don’t even know if I _like_ girls.”

“What are you talking about? Everybody likes girls. And you’re a beta. That means you can do whatever—whoever you want,” Jo says, and Cas starts wondering what part of this conversation he missed while he was zoned out.

“Not _everybody_ likes girls,” Charlie defends. “People used to tell me everybody likes dudes, and I’m like hello?” She points down at herself with both hands. “Dudes are gross. Ladies are neat.”

“People always tell me as a beta I’ve got to like everybody, but what if I just don’t like anybody?” 

“People are idiots, Claire,” Hannah responds. “Do you know the last time I had sex? In college. A decade ago. And if a single one of you says, ‘Wow, we need to get you laid,’ I will stare at you coldly through the rest of dinner.”

“It’s been a few years for me as well,” Cas says wistfully.

Everyone at the table glares at him. 

“What? Perhaps it runs in our family. A bunch of useless alphas.” 

The server stops by to take their order, but once she leaves Claire leans forward and says, “Please, don’t act like you wouldn’t jump Dean Winchester’s bones if he presented himself to you right now.”

Jo shifts awkwardly in her seat and gives Claire a look like she needs to be careful about what she says in mixed company.

“Since when do you say things like ‘jump his bones’?” Cas asks.

“Way to avoid the question.”

“Jo, aren’t you friends with Dean Winchester?” Charlie says. “You’re not, like, going to tell him we gossiped about him, right?”

“No, I wouldn’t do that. Besides, he’s dating Lisa. They’re pretty serious, too. Sorry, Cas.”

“No need to apologize.” Even though Cas currently feels like crawling in a hole and dying.

The worst part about it is that he doesn’t even have it in him to hate Lisa. She’s kind and even-tempered and very good at her job, and she smells like apples and vanilla icing. She and Dean are sickeningly sweet together, and Cas will probably cry the day they come to set with mating bites.

But he’s not going to tell anybody that.

Fortunately, the conversation shifts away from Castiel after that. He sits back and enjoys his food and generally stays out of the women’s way. About halfway through the meal, something like fear hits him as he realizes how grown-up Claire is. He and Amelia were more like friends than lovers (which is why they never mated), but he’s considered Claire to be his daughter for the majority of her life. He’s 42 years old, but watching Claire interact with women older than she as if they’re her friends is making him feel ancient. Perhaps he really does need other people in his life besides Claire and Hannah. 

At the end of dinner, Charlie asks for his phone number. He is happy to oblige.

 

* * *

 

“Good news. I talked to the district attorney, and they’re going to drop the charges,” Sam says as soon as Dean answers the phone. 

“What? How did you _already_ do that?” 

“I’m a good lawyer, Dean. And I don’t know if you know this, but you’re super famous. I said you’d talk to the guys and basically give them whatever they wanted as long as it keeps you out of jail. Besides, what’s the point of you being in jail anyway? You’d make bail in like five seconds.”

“Yeah, but doesn’t it _look_ bad for me to pay these guys off?” 

Sam sighs into the receiver and answers, “This isn’t 2001 anymore. It doesn’t give you any cred to have a mug shot. And it’s going to be all out in the open, right? No under the table funny business like you did on _Ally McBeal.”_

“Hey! I told you Lucy Liu was the one who started that fight—”

“Yeah, I've heard it, Dean. Anyway, you're going to have to talk to the guys. Gordon Walker is probably going to be the most difficult, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. How you doing otherwise? Anybody giving you shit on set?”

“No. It’s been pretty normal.” Dean hears Lisa call him from the kitchen. “I got to go, dude. Lady’s calling."

“Bye, Dean. Don’t do anything stupid without telling me."

Dean heads into the kitchen and wraps Lisa up from behind. “Is that steak I smell?” he asks into her ear.

“Meatloaf, but I get the hint. Can you go get Ben? Food’ll be ready in five minutes. Dean, stop! _Later.”_

Dean removes his hand from where it was sneaking under Lisa’s shirt and up toward her breast and groans instead of continuing his line of kisses down her neck. He smacks her ass as he goes to retrieve her son.

Dean and Ben get into a riveting discussion about dinosaurs during dinner, and when the kid’s done eating he runs into the den to watch TV before bed.

“Were you really in the running to be in the new _Jurassic Park_ movie?” Lisa asks once Ben’s out of earshot.

“Yeah. I heard Chris Pratt’s doing it now.” 

“That beta guy from _Parks and Rec?”_

“Yep.” Dean gets two new beers from the fridge and hands one to Lisa. “Apparently he’s playing the alpha to a flock of velociraptors or something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.” Dean clinks their bottles together and takes a swig.

“What are we toasting?”

“The fact that I’m getting laid tonight.”

“Oh, are you? What about _me?”_

“Yeah, I guess you can come, too.”

Lisa rolls her eyes and downs half her beer. “What time is your call tomorrow?”

“Seven. Yours?”

“Six.”

“Hmm. Well it’s a good thing we don’t have to worry about waiting for a knot to go down, right?” Dean jokes with a wink.

Lisa hides her laugh and drinks more beer. “I’m going to go get my cosmetics kit ready for tomorrow. Put Ben to bed, please?” 

“Sure thing. I’ll meet you upstairs.” Dean stands and clears the table before heading toward the den. “All right, kiddo, time for bed.”

Ben complains, but Dean throws him over his shoulder and says Steve Rogers insists on a solid eight hours of rest. Ben shuts up after that.

Fifteen minutes later, Lisa sneaks up behind Dean in the bathroom and grabs his pecs through his t-shirt.

“You have bigger boobs than I do,” she comments.

“Part of the job description unfortunately. Fucking hate it.” 

Lisa scoots Dean away from the sink so she can wash her face. “What? Having huge muscles? _Poor you.”_

“Yeah, whatever. The _second_ my contract with Marvel is over is when I permanently stop exercising.”

Lisa responds by pinching his ass and skipping her way into bed.

Dean eagerly follows her. The whole bed squeaks when he jumps on. He grabs Lisa by the hip and starts kissing her neck.

It’s silent for a few minutes as Lisa relaxes into Dean’s touch. She keeps a hand steady in his hair, but other than that she’s almost perfectly still as he removes her clothes and kisses her body.

“Hey, Dean?”

“Hmm?” 

“You ever think about—I don’t know, mating?”

He lifts his head off her chest and looks into her eyes. “You’re interested in that?”

She shrugs. “With you? I’d consider it. If…you were interested.” 

Dean flops onto his side and traces a fingertip along Lisa’s arm. “I, uh, I was almost mated once—twice, actually.”

“What happened?”

“They didn’t feel like I wanted it enough.”

“What?”

“They thought they loved me more than I loved them. And-and that I cared more about what people thought of me than I did about them. And that the only reason I was with them was because they smelled good.”

Lisa is quiet for at least a minute, staring up at the ceiling like she’s thinking really hard.

“It’s not that I don’t _want_ to be mated…” Dean whispers. 

“It’s just that you don’t have the type of feelings mates are supposed to have.”

“I guess.”

“Do you care about me, Dean?”

Dean lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses it in reassurance. “Of course, Lis.”

“Do you care about me any differently than how you care about Ben?”

Dean hesitates.

Lisa pulls her hand out of his. “I’m in love with you, you know that?”

“I…OK.”

“Oh my god.” She turns to her side so that her back is to Dean.

Dean curls up behind her and presses a kiss to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lis.”

She doesn’t answer.

 

* * *

 

Cas is idly clicking through channels, hoping to find something that will put him right to sleep. Claire is sitting on the couch perpendicular to him even though she’s technically supposed to be at her mom’s tonight. Ever since she got her license she pretty much does whatever she wants.

“Have you ever had a true mate?” she asks out of nowhere.

“Interesting way to phrase it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Most people would say something like ‘do you believe in true mates,’ but your question implies that true mates are real and that it’s possible to have more than one.” Cas stops changing channels when he gets to the Food Network. 

“My mom always said she and my dad were true mates.”

“Your father was a good man. If true mates are real, then they were definitely true mates.”

Claire doesn’t say anything for a long time, and Cas thinks maybe she wants to drop the subject. They never talk about Jimmy.

Halfway through an episode of _Chopped_ , Claire asks, “Is it true you were with my mom just because you reminded her of my dad?”

Cas’ eyes widen and he straightens up on the couch. “That’s, um, a loaded question. You have to understand, Claire, I helped your mother through the most difficult time in her life. The fact that I…looked similar to her late husband had very little to do with why we stayed together for so long.” 

“I remember, you know. When you moved in so soon after, I was so happy that I didn’t have to watch my mom cry every day anymore. She smiled when she was around you.” 

Cas laughs softly. “Yes, well, I’m glad that’s how 5-year-old Claire remembers it.”

They’re silent again for a while.

During a commercial featuring a happy mated couple, Cas says, “I do believe in true mates, but I've never had one.”

_But if I did, it would be Dean Winchester._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The technical definition of a milliner is a hat maker, but it's actually a widely used term (at least in theater) for costumers who do special stuff like dyeing and making armor and shit like that.
> 
> Also, I know the Cas and Jimmy situation is weird since they are played by the same person on SPN. Sorry 'bout it.


	8. Chapter 8

Gordon Walker turns out to be a somewhat decent guy. Bit of an aggressive alpha with a mean streak, but other than that Dean finds that he’s weirdly drawn to him. He thinks maybe in another life Gordon would be somebody he goes home with.

They get drinks and talk for a long time, Dean apologizes, and surprisingly Gordon also apologizes.

“I know why you did it. I was pretty fucking drunk,” he explains.

“You weren’t the only one.”

“Yeah, well, we deserved it. You know, Dean Winchester, you’re a pretty down-to-earth guy.”

“People really only ever say that about famous people, you ever notice that? It’s weird." 

“Yeah, but you’re _real._ You’re not hiding yourself from anybody.”

Dean tenses and takes a long pull from his beer. 

“Right, Dean?”

He doesn’t look over at the alpha as he asks, “How much do you want?”

“For _that_ secret?” Gordon exhales dramatically and shakes his head. “I got a sister with 30 grand in student loans.”

“Direct deposit right into her account. I can do it tomorrow.” 

Gordon laughs and drinks his beer. “Yeah, man. Really down to earth. I like working with you a lot.”

“Are we done here?”

 

* * *

 

 _“Surprise, surprise. The charges against Dean Winchester for the public assault on four alphas have been dropped. What with his alpha lawyer brother and his track record of paying people off, it’s no shock that Winchester won’t spend any time behind bars._

_“It’s a shame, too. I personally would’ve enjoyed seeing him in that orange jumpsuit, which would’ve expedited my quest to see if Dean Winchester can make anything look hot._

_“But hey, better luck next time.”_

* * *

 

Cas is just about to take a nap in his trailer when there’s a knock on his door.

Charlie and Jo come in eating cookies leftover from the catered lunch, and they make themselves at home in Cas’ armchairs.

“Dude, do you ever do anything but sleep?” Jo asks.

Cas sits up and rubs his eyes. “Yes, I also work 75 hours a week. What’s that smell?”

“Jo went on a date last night with _Bela_!”

“Excuse me?”

Jo rolls her eyes and stuffs half a cookie in her mouth. “She’s not as big of a douche canoe as I expected, and we had angry hate sex, OK? It’s not a big deal. And anyway, that’s not why we’re here. Charlie, tell him.”

“Rumor has it Hollywood’s unexpected power couple Dean Winchester and Lisa Braeden are ‘taking a break,’” Charlie explains in a fake reporter voice.

Despite the flipping sensation in Cas’ stomach, he asks as innocently as he can, “Why does this concern me?”

“Oh, cut the crap, Romeo. Everybody knows you like Dean.”

“Everybody? Which everybody?”

“Well, like, us and your family. So, like, everybody who’s important,” Charlie says.

“Oh. Again I ask, why does this concern me? Bear in mind that we’re talking about _Dean Winchester.”_

“Jo, tell him.” 

“I had dinner with Dean a few nights ago. He asked about you.” 

Cas waits for her to continue, but she doesn’t. “Well, what the hell does that mean?”

“He asked what your ‘deal’ is and if you’re seeing anyone and, you know, just like, questions you ask when you want to jump somebody’s bones.”

“Why does everyone keep using that phrase?”

“Cas! C’mon! You’ve got a window of opportunity here, and you should take it,” Charlie exclaims. “If nothing else, you can at least hook up with him.”

“Yeah, how many people get to say that they fucked Captain America?”

“That’s not—I’m not interested in—” Cas sighs and stares up at the ceiling. “If he really is single, you two have to let me do this _my_ way, all right? I don’t need your help.”

“Deal,” Charlie and Jo say at the same time.

 

* * *

  

When Dean calls Sam and tells him about Gordon Walker, Sam threatens to fly up to L.A. that day to “put that guy in his place.”

“For an alpha, you really suck at threats,” Dean deadpans. 

“I’m serious, Dean! If he outs you, I swear to god—”

“He’s not going to. What’s he going to do, huh? Call up the editor of _People_ and say ‘hey, I’m a trusted source and rumor has it Dean Winchester’s a bitch who kicked my ass’?”

“Hey, you shouldn’t use that word.”

“Oh, don’t _lecture_ me. I’m fine, Sam, all right? I can take care of myself.”

“All right. OK, I won’t fly out there.” Sam pauses and clears his throat before continuing, “How’s Lisa?”

“Oh- _kay,_ conversation over. See you later, Sammy.” 

Dean hangs up and squeezes his phone in his hand. 

It hasn’t been the best week of his life.

Sure, 30 grand isn’t really that big of a deal, but word will still get out. And people will wonder why Dean had to give the guy _that_ much if the issue really was just a punch to the face. All Dean can do is hope the news gets old before people start asking questions.

And then there’s Lisa. She didn’t say anything to him the morning after they talked about mating, so Dean got dressed and went home. He hasn’t called her. He’s nothing more than cordial to her at work.

He knows when a relationship is over. 

This is how it always goes, and it’s never going to change. Dean doesn’t even know why he tries.

He stares at the lock screen on his phone and thinks about calling Anna. It’s been a while since they talked, and they definitely haven’t fucked since London. He told her he was dating Lisa, and she was happy for him. But now Dean finds himself missing her, missing the simplicity of it. He had something good with Anna that he didn’t realize when he had it, but he’s afraid of fucking it up if he tries to get it back.

So for now he’ll stay isolated. He’ll bury himself in his work just like he’s always done, and he’ll try his damnedest to stay out of the tabloids.

The following Monday, he has to be at work before the sun rises. He’s halfway through his second cup of coffee when Cas knocks on his door and calls, “Dean?”

Dean swings the door open and walks back to the couch without saying anything. He’s pretty much avoided any interaction with Cas since the party, but he supposes he can’t do that forever.

“Are you doing all right?” Cas asks as he sits on the couch across from Dean.

“What, like today? Is anybody doing all right at 4 in the fucking morning?”

“Good point. I was more, um, asking because I haven’t talked to you in a while. Not since…”

“Yeah, that.” Dean laughs humorlessly. “We got it all worked out I think. Having a lawyer for a brother helps.”

“Yes, I’m sure it does. I regret not getting to know Sam better while he was here. He seems like a great person.”

“Sammy’s the best. Wish he wasn’t out in fucking Albuquerque, but I get to see him a lot more than—never mind.”

“A lot more than who, Dean?” 

Now he’s actually laughing. “I was going to say I get to see him a lot more than people who aren’t millionaires and can’t fly their brother out to California whenever they want. I’m an asshole, I know.”

Cas smiles softly at Dean and nods. “No, trust me, if my net worth was $140 million I would say the same thing.”

“Did you Google me, Cas?”

His smile becomes more sheepish. “I might’ve.”

“Well, find any other juicy stuff about me? C’mon, spit it out.”

“Nothing incriminating, I swear. You don’t exactly have the most exciting life for somebody so famous.”

Dean laughs again as he leans back on the couch. “This is the most I’ve laughed in like, three weeks, and the sun’s not even up yet. Think you can hang around more often, Cas?” 

Dean immediately thinks about rescinding the ridiculous request, but then Cas smiles with his teeth and crosses his arms in a display of alpha pride. “I’ll do my best. In any case, I’m glad both of us are now more awake for today. I’ll see you later, Dean.”

“Yeah, see you, Cas.”

 

* * *

 

A week passes, and then two, and Cas is growing more confident every day that Dean Winchester is actually “on the market,” as Charlie would say.

One morning he jerks off in the shower to the thought of sinking his knot into Dean’s slick-ready hole, and he has to drive to work with a swollen knot.

It’s strange, being interested in somebody. Castiel doesn’t really think much about sex unless he’s in rut, and he definitely doesn’t waste time jerking off in the shower. But something about Dean makes him _want_ in a way he never has before, and the thought excites him.

His knot hasn’t gone down by the time he’s walking up to his trailer. Of course Dean Winchester is standing on his steps waiting for him to show up.

Dean raises an eyebrow at Cas and deliberately looks down at his crotch before saying, “You’re late.”

Cas resists the urge to adjust himself and responds, “I’m 20 minutes early. How long have you been waiting?”

“Long enough for people to probably wonder why I’m hanging outside of Cas Novak’s trailer.” Dean follows Cas inside and shuts the door behind him.

Cas tosses his bag on the couch and grabs two bottles of water out of the fridge. “Have you met the new arrival yet?”

“You know who it is, right? Did they not tell you?”

“Someone named Meg Masters, correct?”

Dean’s mouth parts like Cas is speaking a different language, but then he says, “You really don’t know who she is. Wow.” 

“This is a fun game, Dean, but if you wouldn’t mind explaining—”

“She was a child actor. Had her own show on Disney and everything. Her sex tape came out when she was 18, and _she_ was the one who released it to the press. You really don’t know who I’m talking about?”

“I’m assuming that happened over a decade ago, or else I would’ve heard about it.”

“Yeah, it was a while ago. Anyway, nobody would hire her but she was always in the news for drugs or sex or fights or something ridiculous. Then suddenly one day she lands a supporting role in an Oscar flick and wins a fucking Academy Award herself.” 

“What film?”

“I don’t know, dude, I don’t keep up with that shit. Sammy told me about it.”

“You aren’t very good at being famous.”

“Says the guy who doesn’t even know who Meg Masters is.”

Cas raises a challenging eyebrow and states, “I’m not exactly famous.”

Dean swallows and glances down at Cas’ mouth and quickly back up to his eyes before saying, “Yeah, well, you can still brush up on your pop culture knowledge. We have to meet the chick today.”

“Is she playing Valerie?”

“Yep. So you better shape up, ‘cause you and her are going to be making out today.” Dean throws an arm over the back of the couch and crosses his legs, a smug smile on his face.

“Why do you care so much about this?” Cas asks, feeling his own smile pulling at his lips.

Dean shrugs dramatically. “Just. You know. Curious to see how you kiss somebody who isn’t me.” He has the gall to wink. 

So Cas puffs out his chest because he doesn’t mind fitting alpha stereotypes. “Can’t wait to see how jealous you get.”

 _Tag_. He meant to say Tag _._ How jealous _Tag_ gets.

Dean’s eyes widen before he laughs a little too loudly and tells Cas he better get going. He pats him on the back way too hard on his way out.

Cas presses a hand to his pants and wonders when the fuck this knot is going to subside. He's never jerking off again. 

He goes through his morning routine, and by the time he gets to costumes (with a wave to Charlie on his way) he’s feeling normal again. He reapplied scent blockers after Dean left just to be sure he wouldn’t get any strange looks from the costume ladies. Although, with the way Missouri looks at him every day as she hands him his costume, he’s pretty sure she can smell past scent blockers. 

There are no new faces around by the time places are called. Cas is just about to ask the production assistant where his new scene partner is when he hears the _click-clack_ of high heels approaching.

Even though Dean warned him, he’s not prepared for what he finds when he turns toward the noise. A small woman with dark brown hair parted down the middle and giant heart-shaped sunglasses approaches, a sunhat tipped back on her head and a cigarette between her thumb and index finger like she’s holding a blunt instead. Her heels juxtapose her holey jeans and scoop neck t-shirt, and Cas doesn’t believe that’s actually her costume. She stops about five feet away and pulls her sunglasses down just enough to tilt her head forward and take a good, long look at Cas.

Cas takes a deep breath in and smells one of the most powerful female alpha scents he’s ever smelled in his life, far more potent than his sister has ever smelled. He feels lightheaded when he breathes out, and the woman throws her head back and laughs like this is exactly the type of reaction she always gets from men and she never tires of it.

He might have never heard of her before, but he knows exactly who Meg Masters is when she sits down across from him and tosses her cigarette on the ground.

 

* * *

 

Dean is sitting on his couch, drinking a beer and watching _Golden Girls_ when it strikes him that he doesn’t have Cas’ phone number. He's considering ways to get it when his phone rings. 

“Lisa?” he asks disbelievingly when he answers.

“Hey, Dean. You left a couple of shirts and jeans at my house, you want them?”

“Nah, you can throw them out.” Dean makes millions of dollars per year and shops at Target. He’ll survive. “Is that all you called for?”

There’s a heavy sigh before she answers, “I was willing to try, you know. You push people away, Dean.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Just, um—can you try to let people love you? Don’t just walk away at the first sign that they don’t understand you?”

“Yeah, and then what? Wait for them to call me broken and kick me out?”

“I really hope whenever the right person shows up, they are just as stubborn as you are.”

Dean scoffs because he doesn’t know how else to respond.

“If I didn’t have a kid to take care of, and if I _really_ believed that you would be there 100 percent, this conversation would be a lot different right now. I want you to know that, Dean. That I love you. And I would’ve loved you as much as you were comfortable with.”

Dean taps his index finger against the armrest and stares at a fly crawling across his coffee table. “Yeah. Yeah, OK, Lis. I’m sorry I can’t do that for you.”

“I didn’t mean to bring this up. You—just—call me if anything changes, OK? Ben says hi.” 

“Yeah, I will. Uh, tell him I said hey. I’ll see you at work.”

“Goodbye, Dean.”

He continues to stare at the fly after he hangs up. Lisa is way too good for him, she always was. He could never be what she deserves, and that’s why he’s not heading to her house right now.

It would never work anyway. It never does.


	9. Chapter 9

The character of Valerie Peters is only in four scenes. She is introduced in the third act as a wrench in the system, a foil to Tag Neilson so that Taylor can figure out that Tag is _not_ the love of his life.

They’ve been broken up for two months when Val enters the stage. Taylor goes home with her the day he meets her. Although the scene is not shown, it’s implied that _she’s_ the one doing the fucking.

Cas and Meg are lying in a bed almost totally naked when Chuck stops everything and addresses them all very seriously.

“OK, guys, we’re doing great with Val so far. But I just wanted to warn you before we shoot this scene—this will, historically, be the first time on screen that an alpha woman and an omega man are shown as a pairing.”

Everyone claps, and Meg and Cas share a nervous look. Cas suddenly wishes an actual omega were playing his role, considering how huge of a milestone that would be for an omega actor.

As they set for the scene, Meg brushes her lips right against Cas’ ear and says, “Your boy’s watching.”

Cas immediately turns his head and finds Dean standing just behind one of the director chairs. His arms are crossed, but he lifts a few fingers and bends them in a childish wave at Cas. 

The corners of Cas’ mouth turn down in a smile, and he winks in Dean’s direction.

“Christ, you’ve got it bad,” Meg says.

Smile still plastered on his face, Cas crosses his arms behind his head and replies, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I didn’t peg you for the kinky type, but I guess I can see you getting down with another alpha.”

Cas tenses but collects himself enough to play it off like he’s just embarrassed. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

Meg presses his nose and says, “Can’t wait for you to be the one to pull him out of the closet. _That’ll_ be in history books.”

“Again, I’m not sure how any of this is your—”

The A.D. calls for places, and Cas scoots down the bed so he can curl into Meg’s side the way Chuck wants. Just for payback, he hooks a leg between hers and nudges his knee against her crotch. She arches off the bed and gasps, and he is rewarded with long nails digging into his bare back.

Behind him, he hears Dean very distinctly clearing his throat. 

Two hours later, Chuck finally has what he wants and dismisses everyone while he continues to stare at footage. Dean is long gone by then, presumably called to whatever else was on schedule for today. Cas kisses Meg on the cheek and begins to move out of the bed, but she yanks him back down.

“Cap was only here for the first couple of takes. You weren’t watching when he left, but _I_ was, and he looked pissed. Like, brooding and storming off kind of pissed. He’s got it bad for you, Clarence.”

Cas narrows his eyes at Meg and asks, “Why do you care so much?”

She smiles widely and strokes her manicured nail down the side of his face. Her expression becomes soft and sympathetic before she says, “I don’t,” and bounces off the bed. She doesn’t bother throwing on a robe and instead saunters off toward her trailer almost completely naked. 

Cas still has a few more scenes left before he’s done for the day, so he heads over to hair and makeup and resists the urge to try to find out where Dean is.

After the conversation with Meg, Cas starts to worry that he and Dean have been acting unprofessionally. If someone who just arrived on set three days ago can tell that they are interested in one another, then surely others are talking as well. Not that Cas even knows for sure if Dean is interested. But if it looks that way from an outsider’s perspective, then yes, he has reason to worry.

 _Why the fuck do you care?_ He hears his stepdaughter say in his head, but he chooses to listen to his own voice of reason instead. 

He and Dean spend time in each other’s trailers every day. They occasionally eat lunch together. They whisper about nothing in particular between takes, and Cas might’ve ran his foot up and down the length of Dean’s calf while they were shooting a scene in their pajamas at a kitchen table the other day. He didn’t do it during the actual filming, so if anyone saw it they would know what was going on.

Then again, Dean acted like _he_ didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t respond at all at first, and then he seemed a little panicked when he recognized that Cas was doing it deliberately. Then finally he relaxed into the touch and nudged Cas’ foot a couple of times.

The more Cas thinks about it, the more evidence keeps piling up. All of the times they’ve touched each other’s arms or shoulders for no reason. The times they’ve been caught staring at each other, standing too close to each other, just generally straddling the line between awkward and flirty. Cas might not have a lot of experience with these things, but he’s aware enough to know that _something_ is going on, and people have probably noticed.

He’s getting his hair fixed when Dean walks into the trailer and stands right next to him. They look at each other through the mirror as Dean says, “Hey, a few of us are going out tonight to a bar in Glendale. You should come with us.”

“Who's going?”

“I don’t know. Benny, Meg, probably Jo and Gabe. Just, you know, people.”

Cas smells annoyance from the other side of the trailer and suddenly Lisa appears in the mirror looking like she just got back from a break.

Dean scratches the back of his head and avoids looking at her.

“Could I invite my friend from wardrobe?” Cas asks.

“Yeah, dude, whatever. So you’ll come?”

“Yes, I think I will. What time and where?”

Dean excitedly pulls out his phone and answers, “Just, uh, put your number in my phone and I’ll text you the details.”

Cas’ chest swells of its own accord, and he tries not to smile at this ridiculous victory. As he types his name in, he ignores the part of him that wants to add an emoticon after “Castiel.” 

“Awesome,” Dean says sincerely when Cas hands the phone back. “I’ll text you later. I got to get going. See you tonight, Cas.”

“Goodbye, Dean.”

“You OK, Lis?” Cas’ hairdresser, Donna, asks after Dean leaves.

“Yeah, just accidentally left the clippers I needed at home. I’ll just borrow somebody else’s.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Lisa sighs and says, “It’ll be easier when I don’t have to see him every day.”

“If it makes you feel any better, magazines have already forgotten your name. Oh gosh—that sounded bad. I mean, nobody cares what Dean Winchester’s doing with his life right now.”

“No, you’re right. I’m glad to be out of the spotlight, but it’s also just easier to break up with someone when you don’t have to see them every day and when they’re not movie-star good-looking on top of actually being a movie star.”

“How’s your son taking it?”

Cas’ eyes widen, but luckily neither of the women are paying him any attention. He had no idea Lisa had a son.

“I tried to explain to him that Dean’s not coming back, but I’m not sure he understands that Dean isn’t Captain America. Like, he expects him to have the same character traits and therefore, you know, stick around." 

“Right, because Steve totally showed up for that date with Peggy and wasn’t 70 years late.”

Cas laughs, and Donna bops him on the side of the head. “What are you doing eavesdropping, Mr. Novak?” she asks playfully. “Get out of here, I’m finished with you now.”

“Donna, how many times have I—”

“Right, right, call you Cas. Okie dokie, Mr. Novak. Now scoot.”

With a dramatic head roll, Cas obeys and notices Lisa laughing softly. His heart hurts a little at the thought that Lisa might not like him very much if she knew how much he was trying to _court_ Dean.

For the remainder of the day Cas is scheduled to sit through a series of boring scenes where he has very few lines. One of the sequences is a silent montage, which means he has to repeat boring actions like tying his shoes and drinking fake coffee for what feels like several hours. When he’s finally released for the day, he heads directly toward the wardrobe trailer to try to catch Charlie before she leaves. 

He finds her standing outside the trailer, steaming a long dress that a mannequin is wearing. 

“I was invited to hang out with some of the actors tonight. You're welcome to join me,” Cas says as he stands behind her.

She turns and smiles at him, her hands still working. “Oh right, Jo told me about that. I didn’t think you were into that sort of thing.”

“Yes, well, Dean invited me.”

She gasps and nearly knocks the mannequin over. “Like, _invited_ invited you? Like, plus one kind of deal? Like, ‘I’m hoping you and I split off from the rest of the group at the end of the night’ kind of thing?”

“Your imagination is terrifying. He simply asked if I would like to join everyone. But he also asked for my phone number.”

“Score! Holy crap, he’s going to ask you out.” 

“Shh, people might be able to hear you.”

“Oh, shush yourself. This is the most exciting shit I’ve heard all week. I am _definitely_ coming tonight.”

“I was going to ask you if you wanted to carpool—”

“No way, dude. I’m not risking being the one in the way of you and Dean going home together—”

“ _Charlie, shh—”_

“—And I’m definitely not getting too sloshed to witness this. I’ve got to finish this up, and you need to go home and get ready. I’ll see you later, all right?”

“Sure, Charlie.”

Cas is halfway home when Dean texts him.

_Hey it’s Dean. Dean Winchester, in case you know a lot of Deans. Meeting in an hour or so at Capri. I can give you a ride if you need one._

Cas tries not to read too much into Dean’s offer, and he waits until he’s home before he texts back, _Thank you, Dean. I'll be fine without a ride._

Claire is, thankfully, not home when Cas arrives, so he is able to get ready in peace and not worry about her begging to tag along. He throws on a pair of jeans and a dark red button down with the sleeves rolled up and looks at himself in the mirror for an entire five seconds before heading out the door.

It takes him longer to park than he would prefer, so by the time he actually gets inside he’s a little annoyed and knows he smells like it. He regrets not reapplying scent blockers when he got out of the shower.

That is, he regrets it until he spots his coworkers, and Dean very obviously whips around, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, to stare at Cas approaching.

So Cas relaxes and tilts his chin up, but when he makes it to the table he goes over to Jo first and sets a hand on her shoulder. 

“I didn’t get a chance to see you today at work,” he tells her. 

“Shit, dude, is that what you smell like?” She grabs his arm and yanks it toward her nose. “It is a damn shame you have to wear scent blockers on set. I mean, holy hell.”

“All right, Jo, that’s—” 

“She’s right, I’m not even jealous,” Bela says smoothly from Jo’s left.

Jo smacks her on the shoulder and whispers something about “keeping it on the D.L.” Cas turns a blind eye to say hello to Gabriel and Benny, but he’s cut off.

“Why don’t you come sit over here, Cas? I saved you a seat,” Dean says from across the table. He sounds more aggressive than usual, like he’s angry that he has to work for Cas’ attention. Or maybe Cas is reading too much into things again.

Benny glares at Cas and looks like he’s threatening to posture, but Cas ignores him in favor of going to sit by Dean.

“Didn’t you say you were bringing a friend?” Dean asks after his perfunctory squeeze of Cas’ shoulder.

“I invited her and she said she was coming, so she should be here—”

“You talking about Charlie?” Jo shouts from the other side of the table. “She said she’ll be here in like 10 minutes.”

“Charlie? Redhead, wears aprons a lot?” Dean asks.

“Yes, that’s the one.” 

“Yeah, I’ve met her once,” Dean says distractedly as he gestures to one of the servers passing by.

In less than 45 seconds, the woman comes back with two beers, one of which she sets in front of Cas. “Need anything else, Dean?”

“No, sweetheart, we’re set for now. Thanks.”

“I drove, so I probably shouldn’t drink too much,” Cas states as he picks up the bottle. He takes a drink and continues, “But thank you.”

“That’s why I offered to drive you, dude. I was hoping to see you, I don’t know, let go for a night.”

Before Cas can even ask what that means, Gabriel says, “Yeah, Cassie, live a little. I hear your idea of a good time is watching your kid’s spelling bees.”

“My stepdaughter hasn’t been in a spelling bee since—”

“You got a stepdaughter, Cas?” Benny interrupts. 

“Sort of. Her mother and I aren’t together anymore.” He takes a long pull from his beer. “I’m sure Claire would be delighted to know that we're talking about her tonight.”

Jo’s the one who realizes Cas doesn’t necessarily want to share details about Claire with everyone, so she changes the subject. While she and Gabe go at it, Dean nudges Cas to get his attention.

“Hey, you all right?” he asks softly so only Cas will hear.

Cas nods and leans in right up against Dean’s ear to whisper, “Is there a reason why Benny dislikes me?”

Dean huffs a laugh and brushes his mouth against Cas’ ear as he responds, “He thinks I spend more time with you than with him.”

“Well, do you?”

“Recently? Yeah.” Dean shrugs like it’s obvious, and then they smile at each other like they’re hiding some big secret.

Charlie chooses right then to show up and break the moment with a, “What’s up, bitches?”

She goes to sit on the opposite side of Jo, and the two of them stare Cas down for the remainder of the night.

He wishes he had taken Dean up on his offer so that he could be drunk right now.

 

* * *

 

Dean keeps a hand closed around his own thigh for pretty much the entire night.

Inviting Cas was a bad idea.

Inviting him to sit next to him after smelling his absolutely ludicrous scent was a really fucking bad idea.

Dean has never clenched so hard in his life to keep slick from coating his boxer briefs.

Bad fucking idea.

They sit around talking about work and gossiping about people that aren’t there for the better part of two hours. Dean realizes too late that he’s finished his fourth beer and therefore has to cut himself off for the night. At some point his free arm found its way around the back of Cas’ chair, and he’s too drunk on the alpha’s smell to give a damn.

Gabriel talks too much, and Bela and Jo are having their own private conversation that looks like it’s about to end in them making out right there at the table. Charlie keeps making strange faces at Cas, and Benny’s knee bumps into Dean’s often enough for it to be deliberate. 

Without even the excuse of too much alcohol, Dean pushes into Cas’ space and says, “I wish you didn’t wear blockers on set.”

Cas turns and raises both eyebrows. “Oh yeah?” 

“I-I mean, you just—you smell _really_ good. Um.”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

“Shut up, asshole. Want to get out of here?” All right, maybe he should’ve stopped after two beers.

“Yes, I would like that,” Cas replies as he pushes his chair back and starts to get up. “Everyone, it was lovely spending time with you,” he says to the table. “I will see you all at work tomorrow.”

They all say their goodbyes, and Dean is just about to follow him when Cas physically pushes him back down and gives him a powerful stare.

Dean gets the message. If he leaves at the same time Cas does, they will immediately become the topic of conversation for the rest of the night. So he sits and listens to Gabriel’s annoying ramblings until a reasonable amount of time has passed, and then he makes some excuse and hightails it out of there.

And it turns out Cas didn’t go very far. He’s leaning against his Lincoln Continental and scrolling on his phone. When Dean gets closer, he smells that Cas is trying to hide his nerves with a blasé attitude, and that makes Dean all the more confident. He spins around when he gets to the car and matches Cas’ posture, their shoulders just barely brushing.

“Did you drink too much to drive?” Cas asks without looking up from his phone.

“Nah, I’ll be good.”

“Good."

"Yeah."

Cas pockets his phone. "Did you drink too much to make out in the backseat of my car?”


	10. Chapter 10

Cas looks over at Dean.

His expression is blank, like he’s unsure about what he just heard. Castiel considers repeating himself, but then Dean gulps and looks at Cas’ lips and then looks around warily, so Cas grabs him by the sleeve and pulls him into the back of his car and seals their mouths together.

Cas is lying flat on his back, one hand fisted into the front of Dean’s shirt while the other still clings to his sleeve. Dean is hovering over him, one leg awkwardly supporting him on the floor and both arms straining to keep himself up. The space is too cramped, and Cas keeps banging his head against the door handle, and Dean’s back keeps hitting the roof.

And if it isn’t the best goddamn kiss of Cas’ entire life.

Dean doesn’t moan like he would on camera, but he makes little breathy noises on every other inhale. He kisses languidly and carefully like he’s studying every contour of Cas’ lips and tongue.

Cas, for the most part, maintains some semblance of composure. He pulls back when he gets too aggressive, and he tries to follow Dean’s lead with each head tilt and push of the tongue. They kiss long enough for the car to grow hot and the windows to fog, and then they continue to kiss until Cas’ foot falls asleep and Dean’s left arm gives out.

With a laugh, Dean drops his entire weight onto Cas’ chest. Cas instinctively wraps his arms around his back and rubs his hands soothingly up and down the length of it. He doesn’t know if he’s supposed to say anything, but he’s too busy thinking about how tingly his lips feel and how much better that was than the sex scene they filmed together and how much the Continental smells like their scents mixed together despite the fact that Dean’s wearing blockers.

“I should probably go,” Dean mumbles after a few minutes.

Cas kisses the top of his head and responds, “You should go home and get some rest.” 

“Really? That simple? You’re not going to try to convince me to come home with you? Or at least a quick B.J. in the backseat?”

“Perhaps another time. Tonight, I’m sleeping alone.”

“Well, in that case,” Dean says before propping himself back up again and capturing Cas’ mouth one more time.

With some tangled effort, Cas lets Dean flip their positions, and he realizes very quickly how difficult it must’ve been for Dean to hold himself up for as long as he did. He considers saying something about it but decides it’s better to cherish the thought that Dean sacrificed comfort in order to kiss him for as long as possible. 

Just as the very obvious smell of slick hits Cas’ nose, Dean puts distance between them and looks up at Cas with a panicked expression.

“You’re right, I should go.”

It’s way too fast and ungraceful as Dean shoves Cas off of him and stumbles out of his car.

 

* * *

 

Despite not drinking enough to have a hangover, Dean still wakes up with a headache.

It takes him about 30 second to remember what happened the night before, and when he does his whole face heats up. He smiles at the ceiling. That lasts for all of five seconds before panic sets in.

Somebody could’ve seen them.

He doesn’t know Cas all that well. The guy could’ve gone to the press already. He should probably check online to make sure he hasn’t been outed. 

Cas also must’ve smelled his slick. If not last night, then the few other times it’s happened before. He _must_ know. Sure, he didn’t even try to get in Dean’s pants last night, but he still must know.

The weird thing is that there’s a part of Dean that _hopes_ he knows. As dangerous as it is for his career, Dean thinks it would be fucking awesome to date Cas. All it took was one whiff of his true scent last night to plan out an entire life together—specifically a life where Cas knots the fuck out of Dean on a daily basis. 

Panic abating, Dean jerks off under the covers of his bed, flipping onto his side halfway through so he can push a few fingers into his ass. He cries Cas’ name when he comes.

Fucking great.

He avoids talking to anybody when he gets to work. Thankfully his first few scenes of the day aren’t with Cas. Jo gives him a couple of side-eye glances, but Dean doesn’t think it would be that big of a deal if Cas told her what happened. He’s probably going to tell her himself anyway. 

By the time lunch rolls around, Dean has successfully ignored everyone. He knows he has a scene with Cas after lunch, but he hopes he can make it an hour without—

“Hello, Dean.”

“Jesus, Cas, where’d you come from?” Dean has to catch his plate of food from falling out of his hands.

“I’m sorry. I just hadn’t seen you today, so I thought I’d—”

“No, it’s fine. I just didn’t—want to eat lunch with me?”

“I’d like that.”

Before Dean can say anything else, Cas starts walking away. Dean jogs to catch up with him but doesn’t say anything as they walk together toward the outskirts of the set.

They reach a small patch of grass shielded by a cluster of trees. Cas parks himself on the ground and sets his food out in front of him. After a moment he looks up at Dean and nods down at the ground, so Dean obediently sits. Usually he hates the silent kind of command alphas are capable of, but for some goddamn reason he trusts this alpha.

“I sit here when I don’t feel like talking to anyone,” Cas explains before biting into his sandwich.

“That mean you don’t want me to talk?”

Cas huffs a laugh and responds, “No, Dean. You may talk as much as you wish.”

Even with permission, Dean chooses to stay quiet. They sit in comfortable silence and eat their lunches and Dean feels so calm that he could fall asleep right there in the grass.

“Do you think we’ll finish shooting in time?” Cas asks after he’s finished his food and is leaning back on his elbows, staring up at the sky.

Dean matches his position and answers, “Probably not. How long have we been doing this? Four months?”

“Just about. I’ve never worked on a project this big before. I’m not really sure I like it.”

“Really? Why’s that?” 

“I enjoy sleep. And privacy.”

Dean cringes. “Shit, that second one’s my fault, isn’t it?”

“No, nothing like that. My stepdaughter has befriended seemingly all of our coworkers, plus if this movie gets as much attention as I believe it’s going to get, then I will be far more famous than I ever intended to be.”

“Hate to break it to you, Cas, but you’re in the wrong business if you don’t like attention.”

Cas smiles and looks down at his lap like he’s thinking about something amusing.

“What?”

“How did you get into acting, Dean?”

“Uh, it sounded cool when I was a kid. Wanted to be just like Harrison Ford.”

“Interesting." 

“What’s that?”

“Most kids would want to be Indiana Jones or Han Solo, not the actor who plays them.”

Dean lies back completely and crosses his arms behind his head. “Yeah, well, guess I was practical.”

“Yes, because dreaming of becoming a famous actor who plays more than one classic role in a lifetime is very practical.”

“You know, I’d be pissed, but I’m both hotter and richer than Harrison Ford, so bite me.”

“I might take you up on that offer.” 

Dean lifts his head just enough to squint at Cas. Cas raises an eyebrow at him.

They’re six minutes late to set. Dean’s back itches where Cas shoved him into a tree to kiss him.

 

* * *

 

_Come by my trailer tomorrow morning._

_Don’t I usually?_

_Come early._

_I never do that. I always come exactly when I mean to._

Cas stares down at his phone and wishes it were possible to unsend a text message. He has absolutely no idea what’s going on between him and Dean.

_All right, Gandalf._

He doesn’t know if he should be relieved or disappointed that Dean didn’t take his innuendo as a flirtation. He’s also never seen or read _The Lord of the Rings._

“Whoa, _some_ body smells like distressed alpha,” Claire says as she walks into the kitchen and yanks the door of the fridge open.

“Am I similar to Gandalf?”

“That depends, Gandalf the Grey or Gandalf the White?”

Cas pinches his eyebrows together and stares at Claire. 

She rolls her eyes and sits across from him at the kitchen island. “Forget it, why are you asking me this?”

“No reason.” He stares down at his phone.

“Who you texting?”

“No one.”

“Boy, you’re a blast and a half. I’m going to go stay with Mom tonight and tomorrow.” She stands back up. “I’ll see you this weekend unless I’m hanging out with Charlie and Aunt Hannah.”

“Am I not invited to hang out?”

“No,” she deadpans before grabbing her purse off the counter and heading toward her room. 

Cas pockets his phone and tries not to dwell on the fact that his stepdaughter is better at networking than he is.

So instead he dwells on why in the world Dean wants him to come to his trailer early tomorrow.

 

* * *

 

Dean has no idea what he plans on doing when he opens his door before the sun’s even risen and finds Cas standing there, yawning and looking like he rode a fucking motorcycle to set what with how his hair is sticking up all stupid and—

“Heya, Cas. Come on in.” 

“Am I here early enough? Did I miss something important? Is everything—” 

Dean shuts him up with a kiss. He pushes him back to the couch and they fall onto it with a loud thump, but they don’t stop kissing to acknowledge the new position. Dean shoves his thigh between Cas’ legs and rubs it across his crotch. Cas breaks the kiss to moan loudly.

“Shh, shh,” Dean whispers through a laugh. 

Cas growls. “Don’t you _shush_ me." 

“Oh, feisty alpha. I’m _so_ scared.”

With an eyebrow raised, Cas tries to flip their positions so he’s on top, but they end up falling on the floor with an even louder thump. They laugh and kiss like morons. Dean is working a hand under the hem of Cas’ t-shirt when there’s a knock on the door and they both freeze.

“Dean? You in there, brother?”

 _“Benny,”_ Dean mouths at Cas.

Cas rolls his eyes and hops to his feet. He snaps his fingers and points at the door as he tiptoes off and locks himself in the bathroom.

Dean feels arousal stirring low in his belly, and he wonders when the fuck he developed an attraction to alphas being silent assholes.

When Dean opens the door, Benny looks at him skeptically and then eyes the room. “It sounded like shit was crashing in here.”

“Why are you here so early, Benny?”

Benny tilts his head back and puffs his chest out like he’s mad. “You talk to Lisa lately?” 

“Why would I have talked to Lisa lately?”

“Just wondering. Thought you might, uh, fight a little more to get back together with her. Not that it’s any of my business.”

“We weren’t really all that serious to begin with, man.”

“Bullshit. Y’all were _public_ , and everybody knows that means serious.”

“For five seconds? Why do you even care about this, dude? Why am I even arguing about this?”

“’Cause I saw Cas Novak walk in here five minutes ago, and I suspect he’s hiding around here somewhere with his dick in his hand.” Benny looks around as he speaks, like he’s talking more to Cas than to Dean.

“Remember that thing you said about it being none of your business?”

“It’s been less than a month, Dean. You think you might—”

“Don’t tell me how to deal with shit." 

Benny turns on his heel and starts to leave.

“And I swear to god, if you mention a word about Cas to _anyone—”_

“I’m not an idiot, Dean,” Benny says sadly as he goes through the door.

Cas doesn’t come out of the bathroom until Dean opens the door for him. He stands all stoic and confused like he’s not sure if he should be waiting for Dean’s cue or not. 

“I’ll see you on set later, Cas.”

Without another word, Cas leaves.

 

* * *

 

Inside the studio, there’s a single-person bathroom on the second floor that nobody ever uses. 

Well, until Dean and Cas start putting it to good use.

 

* * *

 

On Saturday after work, Dean, Cas and Charlie go to a bar together and drink a responsible amount for well-adjusted adults.

A paparazzo gets at least one good shot of Dean looking into the camera.

Dean removes his hand from Cas’ thigh.

 

* * *

 

Cas doesn’t tell anyone about his—for lack of a better term—affair with Dean. Claire asks him a couple of times why he smells weird, but he shrugs it off and says it’s easy for scent blockers to fuck with other people’s scent blockers in close proximity.

(Close proximity meaning shirtless making out and rutting on the bed in Cas’ trailer.)

He suspects Jo already knows, but if she does she’s keeping it quiet. She and Cas are never really alone together, but he’s noticed ample opportunity for her to corner him and yet she hasn’t. 

(Probably too busy having Bela knot her.)

Charlie has, of course, asked Cas over and over again if anything is going on between him and Dean. He never lies, but he does do an excellent job of evading her questions.

(He’s still wondering how she didn’t notice Dean’s hand on his thigh for an hour at the bar the other night.)

For all intents and purposes, Cas and Dean are _not._

They are not dating, they are not fucking, they are not anything.

While others would probably be yearning for some progress or a “talk” after two weeks of sneaking around, Cas is still happily content with the situation.

It’s simple and it’s going as well as he ever could’ve hoped it would and for fuck’s sake, he’s making out with Dean Winchester while shooting a movie with him. 

He’s doing all right for himself.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is useless. Enjoy.

**Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

Anybody know how to get stains out of the upholstery of a ’67 #ChevyImpala? Asking for a friend.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 14

@deanwinchester Don’t you drive a ’67 #ChevyImpala? Do all your friends have the same car as you

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

@casnovak Yes. Every single one of them. It’s a club.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 14

@deanwinchester I find that highly improbable.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

@casnovak It would be cool tho right

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 14

@deanwinchester With your hyper masculine worldview and how deeply your identity is wrapped in your car, then yes, I suppose it would be coo

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

@casnovak coo

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 14

@deanwinchester I ran out of characters.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

@casnovak Don’t worry, buddy, it’s coo

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 14

@deanwinchester How dare you call me buddy and then mock me.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 14

@casnovak What? No, I just ran out of characters. #embarrassing

 

**Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 15

Fun day on set. Heard a lot of cooing tho, that was weird. #coocoo

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 15

@deanwinchester Did you get the stains out of your upholstery

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 15

@casnovak Yes, my FRIEND certainly did. My FRIEND looked up some at-home remedies since everyone on twitter was unhelpful.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 15

@deanwinchester I’m sorry I’m not a member of the #ChevyImpala club and couldn’t give you any tips myself. Excuse me - your friend.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 15

@casnovak My friend appreciates your concern anyway.

 

**Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

Why are we testing cosmetics on monkeys? How important is lipstick to you?

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

@casnovak What are you even saying

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@deanwinchester HOW IMPORTANT IS LIPSTICK TO YOU DEAN

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

@casnovak Not very.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@deanwinchester Did you know that monkeys leave the skins on the bananas they eat? They’re very clever.

 

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

Do you ever regret the friends you’ve made

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@deanwinchester Yes, especially when I realize they don’t care about the treatment of monkeys.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

@casnovak Who said we were friends

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@deanwinchester There’s no need to be mean. :(

 

 **Sam Winchester** @winchesterassoc * Aug 19

@deanwinchester I think you hurt his feelings

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

@casnovak @winchesterassoc You can’t see me but I’m rolling my eyes.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@deanwinchester :(

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 19

@winchesterassoc Thank you, Sam.

 

 **Sam Winchester** @winchesterassoc * Aug 19

@casnovak No problem, Cas. I know he can be an asshole sometimes.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 19

@casnovak @winchesterassoc I’M UNFOLLOWING YOU BOTH

 

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

Some of you have been asking who the hell @casnovak is, and I gotta say – I have no idea. Stay away from him.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester You are not a nice person on social media.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester Actually, come to think of it, you’re not a nice person in general.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester Wait. I didn’t mean that. At least not PUBLICLY.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

@casnovak Yeah ok

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester Please forgive me #sorry #mypeopleskillsarerusty

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

@casnovak YEAH OKAY

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester I’ve gained 10,000 followers since your tweet.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

@casnovak Imagine that I’m wearing sunglasses and shooting finger guns at you

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

@deanwinchester I didn’t want these followers, Dean. Take them back.

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

ATTN EVERYONE – DO NOT FOLLOW @casnovak UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I REPEAT DO NOT FOLLOW @casnovak, costar of my upcoming film (cont.)

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

(cont.) Bright Atlanta, and dear friend of mine. Once again, that’s @casnovak.

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 21

Well I guess it’s time I get verified. #sigh

 

 **Dean Winchester** @deanwinchester * Aug 21

@casnovak ur welcome

 

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak hey

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 23

@deanwinchester What do you want, Dean?

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak how's it going

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 23

@deanwinchester I'm sitting next to you on set. Right now.

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak yeah but we're not allowed to talk

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 23

@deanwinchester .....You have my phone number.

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak shhh don't tell people that

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 23

@deanwinchester You don't want people to know that you have your friends' phone numbers?

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak ur not my friend

 

 **Castiel Novak** @casnovak * Aug 23

@deanwinchester It seems you change your mind about that every day.

 

 **Dean Winchester**  @deanwinchester * Aug 23

@casnovak scene starting gtg

 

 **Sam Winchester** @winchesterassoc * Aug 23

@deanwinchester @casnovak Can you guys chill for five seconds

 

**“Bright Atlanta” Costars Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak Get Friendly on Twitter**

Getting into fist fights at his costar's house aside, it looks like Dean Winchester has made a new friend. Following his alleged break-up with makeup artist Lisa Braeden, he’s been bantering back and forth with up-and-comer Castiel Novak. During a recent conversation, Novak claimed that he gained 10,000 followers just from Winchester mentioning him in a tweet. And that’s saying a lot, seeing as Winchester rarely tags anyone but his brother (@winchesterassoc) on Twitter. But even with all the Twitter interactions, there’s no telling how the two are getting along on set. Winchester took to calling Novak a “baby” in their most recent social media battle, and Novak chose not to respond. Winchester later deleted the tweet and posted a picture of the two of them eating lunch on set together with the caption, “Taco Tuesday – highlight of the week. Oh, and this guy ain’t bad, either.”

This new development has overshadowed the controversy surrounding the filming of _Bright Atlanta,_ and from Dean Winchester’s perspective it appears casting a no-name actor opposite of him was the best decision director Carver Edlund could have made. Winchester will be playing an alpha opposite of Novak’s omega, and it is rumored to be a tumultuous romance between the two characters. Let’s hope the film delivers a relationship as exciting as the one developing between the actors. If nothing else, at least Twitter is entertaining.

Is there more to Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak’s interactions than meets the eye, or is it simply character bleed? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.


	12. Chapter 12

“So, character bleed, huh?”

Dean grunts into the phone.

“Dude, are you even awake? Do you know what’s going on?”

“Huh?”

Sam sighs and responds, “I’m texting you a link. Click it once you’ve had a cup of coffee. Bye.” He hangs up. 

The link comes through at the same time as Cas' text.

_I was wondering when someone would notice how often we interact on Twitter._

In a panic, Dean opens the link and scans the article and curses himself for being a fucking idiot.

He’s been so careful for _years_ , and now he’s about to ruin everything by flirting with his stupid crush on Twitter. 

He texts Cas back, _At least the paps haven’t caught us making out._

_Small victories. Anyway, I’m unfollowing you._

_Really?_

_No._

Dean doesn’t text back. He stumbles into the bathroom and turns on the shower, trying to remember if he was supposed to do anything today. Usually on the rare day off he gets every couple of weeks he just sits on his ass and watches whatever’s on TV, but for some reason today he’s feeling antsy and wants to get out of the house. 

When he gets out of the shower, he has a new text. 

 _I have to take Claire to a friend’s house in Glendale today. Would you like to get lunch?_

Dean stares at the screen for a solid 30 seconds, his wet hair dripping onto his bare shoulders. He was panicking five minutes ago. Nobody should know about his and Cas’…whatever. He shouldn’t make it worse. He shouldn’t be talking to him at all. If he was a goddamn professional he would break off contact and call his publicist that he doesn’t have and—

_Yeah, sure. Swing by my house whenever. Address in the next text, I’ll leave the garage door open for you._

* * *

 

"You smell like garbage.”

Cas scowls and grips the steering wheel tighter. 

 _“Whoa,_ somebody’s on edge. Also, what the fuck are you wearing? Is something going on? Are you going through a midlife crisis? Do I need to—”

“Claire.” He doesn’t mean to use his alpha voice, but it happens anyway.

Claire faces forward and crosses her arms over her chest.

“I’m sorry. I’m simply nervous,” he explains as they pull out of the driveway.

“Um, I mean, I know you haven’t met Kevin yet, but there’s really no reason to be nerv—” 

“What?”

“OK, let’s back up. You’re driving me, Claire, to my new friend Kevin’s house in Glen—oh my god. _Glendale.”_

Cas sighs and bangs his head back against the headrest. 

“Cas, is there something you need to tell me? Because I distinctly remember _somebody_ saying they would never go to Glendale ag—”

“So I’ll pick you up from the Trans’ house in a few hours?”

Claire sighs and knocks her head back in the same way Cas just did. “Yeah.”

They don’t speak again before Cas is putting the car in park in the driveway of a modest brick house, but Claire gives him a sad look as she gets out. 

He watches to make sure she gets inside, and then he speeds the 10 minutes it takes to get to Dean’s house.

When Cas pulls up to Dean’s driveway, he circles around the block and checks his texts and GPS several times before concluding that yes, he is in the right place. 

Dean’s house is smaller than the Trans’, and it appears to be one story with white wooden panels and a very old porch spanning the entire front side. The garage looks like it was added later on. Cas goes ahead and pulls in next to Dean’s Impala.

Unsure whether he should knock on the side door inside the garage or head out to the front door, Cas instead dawdles in the garage and snoops around a bit. He finds the usual stuff that everybody has in their garage—a rusty, red toolbox that probably hasn’t been opened in several years, boxes full of pictures, an old bicycle with two flat tires. But there’s also a neon green hard hat and a table saw that looks like it’s in good shape and—

“You planning on coming inside, or should I just leave you to it?”

Cas turns toward the door and tries to keep his eyes from widening at Dean's sudden appearance. “Sorry, I was just—" 

“C’mon, I made paninis.” Dean heads back through the doorway and waves his hand for Cas to follow. 

“Paninis? Really?” Cas asks even as he’s watching Dean plate the food. 

“I can make pretty much anything. What? I’m a fucking fantastic chef.” He tears into his food as if to reiterate his point.

Cas takes a seat at the island before taking his first bite. “Standing while you eat isn’t good for you, Dean.”

“Dude, have you _seen_ me?” He waves his sandwich in a circle from his head to his torso. “You really think anything going on here is good for me?”

“You’re not…you know…?”

“Fuck no. Do you know how bad steroids would fuck up my hormones? No thanks.”

Cas doesn’t respond, and it takes Dean two more bites of his panini to realize the implications of what he said. Or at least that’s what Cas assumes by the way his mouth drops open and his eyes widen in terror.

So Cas changes the subject before Dean can backtrack. “This is delicious, Dean.”

“Thanks, man,” Dean replies sheepishly.

They finish their sandwiches in silence. Cas takes his and Dean’s plates to the sink and then grabs Dean by the belt loops and yanks him forward for a kiss.

Dean moans against Cas’ mouth and snakes his arms around his waist to pull him closer. Cas gets greedy and probably uses way too much tongue, but they both taste like panini and apparently that does it for him.

After a couple of minutes, Dean reaches behind Cas’ thighs and hefts him up onto the island. Cas gets hard immediately and cages Dean in between his legs.

And for the first time, Dean grazes his hand over Cas’ groin. 

Cas gasps and thrusts up into the touch. His fingers find purchase in Dean’s hair and he tries to focus on breathing while Dean works his fly open and sneaks his hand inside.

 _“Dean.”_ Cas rolls his hips up into Dean’s hand and lets his own hands fall from his hair to his back. “Dean, _please.”_

Without even looking up at Cas’ face, Dean ducks his head forward and wraps his lips around the head of Cas’ cock.

It’s not that Cas hasn’t thought about it. Of course he’s thought about it. But now that it’s actually happening, he’s having a hard time staying grounded.

As the warmth and pressure of Dean’s mouth envelops him, a string of questions pops up out of the stupid logical part of Cas’ brain.

 _What if it’s not as good as it should be? What if you don’t know how to do this? What if_ he _freaks out? What if_ you _freak out? What if you lose interest halfway through? Where is this even going?_

Before Cas figures out answers to any of these questions, Dean releases his cock and says quietly, “I want you to fuck me, Cas.”

The questions stop. Cas hops off the counter and grabs Dean’s hand. He walks blindly through the house until Dean pushes his way in front of him and leads him to his bedroom.

Cas watches, transfixed, as Dean clumsily removes his shoes, socks, pants, shirts, boxer briefs—

“Cas? The fuck you doing? Get naked.”

“Oh. Right.”

They tumble into bed together a couple minutes later, a mess of limbs and flailing elbows and hips working to gain friction against one another. It’s ungraceful and imperfect and Cas can’t keep his lips off of Dean’s skin. He nips at his neck and licks his chest. Dean's breathing grows erratic when Cas circles one of his nipples with his tongue. Cas briefly wonders if Dean shaves his chest, but then he remembers that he's supposed to be focused on sex and moves back up to kiss Dean's jaw.

They get distracted kissing, but then Cas smells arousal and reaches a hand under Dean. He grabs a handful of his ass before searching for his hole and happily discovering that Dean's starting to get wet. He pulls back from the kiss to ensure that Dean is all right with this. He receives hooded eyes and a small nod in return. 

Dean takes in a deep breath at the first brush of Cas’ fingers, but he relaxes on the exhale and produces significantly more slick. Cas teases his now wet fingers around his hole until Dean is sweating and trying to flip over. He uncharacteristically whines and claws at Cas' shoulders, and Cas laughs and whispers that he's needy. 

In any case, Cas helps him flip over, using his alpha strength to get Dean on his stomach. Cas rises up onto his knees and lines up behind him, slowly dragging the underside of his shaft back and forth along the cleft of Dean's ass. He sinks his fingers into his hips and closes his eyes, letting Dean's breathy growls fill his ears. Dean pushes up on each thrust, and Cas is dripping precome onto his back at an ever increasing rate. 

"C'mon, man," Dean says impatiently, so Cas moves away from him.

Dean had thrown condoms on the bed in the middle of stripping, so Cas quickly grabs one and rolls it on. He doesn’t hesitate before sinking into the tight heat, and Dean opens up for him like nothing he’s ever felt before. Like this is where his dick is meant to live. At all times. From now on.

Dean makes soft grunting noises and wraps his arms around a pillow above his head while Cas thrusts lazily into him. It’s slow and quiet and fucking ridiculous, like they’ve been doing this for years and it’s just one of the ways they relax. Dean doesn’t even move for the entire duration of it. 

Cas bites his lip when he feels his knot trying to catch on Dean’s hole, and despite Dean pushing his ass back as if to accept it, Cas pulls out and comes into the condom with his cock resting on Dean’s back instead.

Dean whines in protest, so Cas flips him back over and takes his cock in his mouth and hand until Dean shuts up. It takes several minutes of coaxing until Dean comes down Cas’ throat with a contented sigh. Cas comes again, too, and he can feel wetness seeping out of the top of the condom. His cock is still hard and heavy as it hangs between his thighs, and his knot pulses with want for tightness surrounding it.  

It’s painful to take the condom off from where it's caught around his knot, but Cas has the taste of Dean’s come in his mouth to keep him preoccupied. When he makes his way back over to Dean’s side, he finds him staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression on his face. Cas lies next to him but warily leaves distance between them.

“You won’t, uh,” Dean starts. He swallows and doesn’t continue.

“Of course not, Dean.”

After an uncomfortably long silence, Dean announces that he’s going to go take a shower and all but sprints to the bathroom.

Cas, being inexperienced in this department, decides that the best course of action is to get dressed and go home. He needs to pick up Claire soon anyway, and he can always text Dean to tell him why he left so abruptly.

He nearly backs into another car as he’s leaving the garage.

Cursing at himself, he looks back to see who the new visitor is.

Lisa Braeden appears in his rearview mirror, heading around to the driver’s side door to move her car out of his way.

 

* * *

 

Dean is relieved when he gets out of the shower and finds his bed empty. 

Mostly relieved.

Also kind of panicky, but mostly relieved.

Before he even has time to throw some clothes on, there’s a knock on his door. Assuming it’s Cas claiming that he forgot something, Dean doesn’t bother changing out of the towel wrapped around his waist before he goes to answer.

Lisa greets him by raking her eyes over his whole body before giving him a shit-eating smirk. “You and Cas? Wow, I’m impressed.” She pushes past him and into the kitchen.

“What?” he asks as he trips over his own feet in an attempt to follow her.

“Saw him in the garage on my way in. I had heard rumors, but I didn’t think…”

“Lisa, look, it’s not—”

“Dean.” She covers his hand with her own. “I’m not mad. I don’t care what you do with Cas. I came over because, um—god, it’s embarrassing.”

“What, Lis? Did something happen?”

“No, it’s—it’s just Ben. He keeps asking about you, and I don’t know what to say, and I just…I don’t know.” She halfheartedly flails her arms in defeat.

Dean grins and crosses his arms over his bare chest. “Lisa, are you asking me if we can be friends?”

“I—no. I mean. Unless you want to?” 

He leans across the kitchen island and kisses her on the forehead. “You’re wearing blockers.”

“You were more attracted to my scent than you ever were to me, so…”

“Lis, that’s not—”

“No, you’re right. I didn’t mean that, let’s pretend I didn’t say that. What about you and Cas? Are you two serious?”

“You really want to talk about me and Cas?”

“He complimented me once while I was doing his makeup, you know. Said he saw a picture of us in a magazine and that I looked ‘very nice, especially for someone who hasn’t dealt with the paparazzi before.’” 

Dean laughs and responds, “Sounds like he was jabbing at you for not being famous.”

“No, Cas is way too gentle and naïve for that.”

 _“Naïve?_ Yeah, tell that to my asshole.”

Lisa blinks at him.

“Oh so you heard it, too, right? I don’t know who just said that. You know, this place has been haunted since I was a kid—”

Lisa smacks him on the arm and tells him to shut up. “I’m glad you’re happy with Cas, whatever’s going on between you. Not that I need to know about it. Seriously. But, um. Anyway.”

“Friends. You want to be friends with me." 

She nods.

“Yeah, I can do that.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for Cas smoking cigarettes, which will continue for a few chapters.

By the time Cas gets to the Trans’ house to pick Claire up, he’s decided that his life is over and he needs to move out of L.A., find a new career and break off all current ties.

Kevin follows Claire out to the car, so Castiel gets out to meet him properly. Claire shoots a pointed look at him and deliberately scratches her nose. He tries to school his expression into some semblance of inviting before making eye contact with Kevin. 

“Hi, Mr. Novak, it’s nice to meet you,” Kevin greets as he shakes Cas’ hand. 

“You must be Kevin. Did you and Claire have a good time?” 

“We did, yeah.”

“His mom made lunch for us,” Claire cuts in. “I told Kevin if he ever came over to your house that we would have to get take-out.”

“Hey, that’s not—”

Claire and Kevin share shy smiles, so Cas shuts up. They make small talk for a few more minutes until Claire claims she’s ready to go.

On the ride home, Cas asks, “Do you like him?” 

“What? No. We’re just friends.”

“He’s an omega.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Do people at school treat him well?”

“Are you asking me if I’m friends with a loser bullies pick on? You do realize I’m not popular, right?”

“That’s not what I—”

“Oh my god, are you worried that I’m, like, having sex with him or something?”

Cas takes a deep breath and tightens his lips into a hard line.

“You’re an _alpha,_ Cas. How the hell are you prejudiced against fucking omegas?” 

“I will not have this conversation with my—”

“I’m not. I’m not having sex with Kevin or with anybody for that matter, but it’s nice to know you’re prejudiced _and_ a hypocrite.”

“Excuse me?”

Claire huffs a laugh. “You smell like you just bathed in a vat of omega cologne. Or, you know, more likely: you smell like you just had sex with an omega.” 

Cas doesn’t answer.

“I follow you on Twitter, you know,” Claire says more calmly. "I’m not stupid, Cas.”

Pause.

“You’re right.”

“What?”

“I’m a shitty alpha who thinks omegas are helpless. And I may have a...‘thing’ with Dean Winchester.”

Claire doesn’t say anything.

“Claire, no one can know that he’s an omega.” 

“Are you serious right now? You think _that’s_ my problem? God, you’re so—ugh, forget it. Take me back to Mom’s, please.”

“I don’t—” 

_“Please.”_

 

* * *

 

Dean stares at his brother’s contact in his phone for a solid 10 minutes before scrolling back up.

“Whoa, you’re _way_ too famous to be calling me.” 

“Can you come over?”

“What’s wrong? I can be there in 30."

“I’ll tell you when you get here. It’s—it isn’t as bad as whatever you’re thinking.”

“All right, well, that’s not going to stop me from thinking the worst. I’ll see you soon, Dean.”

“Thanks, Jo.”

Twenty minutes later, Jo shows up with two cups from Starbucks and a string of complaints about how she rushed over and could’ve gotten killed or pulled over by a cop on the way and she’s lucky Dean’s as cute as he is or else she would never—

“I had sex with Cas.”

Jo’s mouth drops open, and then she smiles.

“What the fuck are you smiling about?”

“Nothing! It’s—OK, it’s just that—never mind.”

“Jo, I swear to God—”

“Cas has liked you for a long time! It’s just exciting. There were a lot of people rooting for you guys.”

Dean pinches the bridge of his nose. “How long has he known?” 

“A while,” Jo says guiltily.

“You didn’t think it was important to _tell_ me this?” Dean yells.

“Cas is my friend, too, Dean! Charlie and I trusted him to—” 

 _“Charlie_ knows, too? Well, that’s just great. Fucking great! Why don’t we just go ahead and call up Buzzfeed right now? ‘Ten things you didn’t know about Dean Winchester. Number one: he’s a goddamn omega.’”

“Dean.” 

Jo might not be an alpha, but that doesn’t stop Dean’s instincts from kicking in and shutting up.

She steps closer and stares him in the eye. “Cas is not going to spill your secret. Charlie is not going to spill your secret. _Nobody is going to spill your secret_. Now would you please get back to why you called me here in the first place?”

Dean sighs and falls back onto the couch. “Is he in love with me?”

Jo sits down next to him and takes a long time to answer. “I don’t think so.”

“He’s never said if…?" 

“What do you want from him, Dean?”

“I don’t know.”

“Bullshit.”

“I want to have sex with him. And, I don’t know. Like, hang out and stuff. But mostly the sex.” 

Jo pats his shoulder, and it’s only a little bit condescending. “You know, you’re not as big of a deal as you think you are.”

“What?”

“You always think people are going to want _more_ from you, or more _of_ you, but don’t you think that’s a little arrogant? I bet if you, like, tell Cas what you just told me, then that’s all he would expect of you. And it would be enough, Dean.”

“No offense, Jo, but you don’t know what it’s like.”

“No, I don’t. But you don’t know what it’s going to be like with Cas because you haven’t even tried it yet. Just—give it a shot, OK? Talk to him. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s really sweet and awkward and probably hasn’t gotten laid in a few years.”

“The fuck you talking about? The dude’s a gorgeous alpha, what makes you think he’s not getting laid?”

“Really? _That’s_ what you got out of that? All right, well, I’m going to leave. You’re going to call Cas. If you mention his sexual history, do _not_ tell him I’m the one who tattled. Level up, Winchester.”

“Level up?”

“Yeah, like ‘man up’ but it doesn’t piss Charlie off.” She leans over and kisses Dean on the forehead before standing. “Drink that mocha I brought you. I expect a thousand-dollar bottle of whiskey in exchange. Bye, Dean.” 

After Jo leaves, Dean stares at his phone even longer than he did before he called her.

He hits the call button with his eyes closed and hopes for the best.

 

* * *

 

Cas drops his phone when he sees the name on the caller ID.

“Dean?” 

“Yeah, Cas. Who else would it be?”

“I just didn’t expect…how are you?”

“Yeah, listen, we need to talk. What’s your call tomorrow?”

“Six.” 

“Mine too. Come at 5:30.”

“Oh—OK.”

Dean hangs up without saying goodbye.

Cas stares down at the bottle of Maker’s Mark sitting on his coffee table. 

Maybe getting spectacularly drunk at 5 p.m. in order to forget about Dean Winchester’s orgasm face wasn’t the best idea Cas has ever had.

 

* * *

 

It’s 5:43 a.m. and Cas still hasn’t shown up.

Dean is nothing if not impatient, so he’s already texted Cas three times wondering where the hell he is.

There’s finally a frantically loud knock on his door at 5:51. 

“I’m sorry, Dean. I was hungover this morning and required a few extra minutes to get ready and I was drunk yesterday when you called me so of course I forgot that you asked to meet and why am I telling you all of this,” Cas greets as he pushes past Dean and slumps down onto the couch.

“You were drunk?”

“I might’ve panicked after leaving your house.”

Dean slowly moves over to the couch and sits down on Cas’ left. “Yeah? And why’s that?”

“I saw Lisa. And I, um, know your secret.”

“Secret? What secret?” 

Cas narrows his eyes at Dean and says, “I know that you’re an—”

“Christ, Cas.” Dean stares up at the ceiling in exasperation. “You’re supposed to say, ‘There is no secret.’”

“Why would I say that when—”

“Forget it, buddy. Why’d you leave so fast anyway?”

“I don’t really, um, have a frame of reference for those kinds of things. I didn’t think you wanted me to stay, especially since I now know that you’re—”

“Fuck, dude, you’re so bad at this. Listen to me.” Dean forces Cas to maintain eye contact. “I, Dean Winchester, have no clear gender designation and am not attracted to men. That’s what the press knows, so that’s what you know, capisce?”

Cas deflates. “Yeah, I capisce.”

Dean slaps his knee and says, “Good. Now, since you got here so late, we don’t have time to make out or anything. But I fully expect you to make that up to me over lunch. Now get out of here.”

“But—Lisa—I thought—”

“Lisa’s really cool, dude. You should talk to her.”

“But aren’t you two…?”

“No.” Dean uncharacteristically kisses Cas on the forehead. “Seriously, leave. Got shit to do.”

Cas looks more confused than Dean’s ever seen him, and that’s saying a lot.

 

* * *

 

“We’re not actually _dating,_ no. That would be idiotic. But she’s a good lay for sure.”

“I had a gig with her a couple of years back.” Meg blows out a puff of smoke and laughs. “We got into a fight in a fucking bathroom. She scratched my face and was fined a shit ton of money. Can’t believe that cupcake is a beta.” 

Bela leans over close to Meg and whispers, “I am _covered_ in scratches. I’m surprised she has enough discretion to keep the marks under my clothes."

“Sounds like she’s grown up a little. Maybe I’ll have a go at her and see what happens.”

Bela growls and stomps her cigarette butt under her foot.

Meg scoffs and says under her breath, “Not dating, my ass.”

Cas flicks his cigarette butt away and reaches his hand out to Meg for another.

Meg raises an eyebrow at him. “You’re a chain smoker now? I knew I was a bad influence on you, Clarence, but I didn’t realize I was _that_ bad.”

“Give the boy a break,” Bela cuts in. “He’s in _love.”_

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, don’t be such an alpha, Clarence. Nobody gives a fuck who you’re fucking.” Meg holds a lighter out to Cas.

He puts the cigarette in his mouth and leans down to Meg’s lighter. He takes a long pull before he speaks again. “Bela, you’re aware that Jo still hates your guts, right?”

Bela laughs and plants her hands on her hips. “Of course, that’s the point. It wouldn’t be fun if we actually _liked_ one another.” 

Cas pinches his eyebrows together and looks at her like she’s insane.

“Aww, our boy doesn’t understand because he’s all wovey dovey, head over heels in wove,” Meg mocks. 

“I’ve smoked six cigarettes today and am hanging out with you and Bela on all my breaks. How does that equate to me being ‘wovey dovey’?” 

Bela and Meg both stare at him with skeptical faces.

Cas smokes the rest of his cigarette in record time, flicks it away and heads back to his trailer without saying anything else to them.

Meg really is a bad influence on him.

He opens the door to his trailer to find Dean arching off the couch naked with one finger buried in his ass. 

He should’ve smoked another cigarette.

In a panic, he slams the door behind him and ignores the clock that falls off the wall. _“Dean,_ what the hell are you—”

“You smell like shit, dude,” Dean says breathlessly. He squeezes his eyes shut and throws his head back against the cushions. “I keep—seeing you—out smoking—with _Meg—_ instead of—”

“Are you jealous?” Cas loosens his tie, takes a seat next to Dean, and pushes a finger inside of him without even thinking about it.

Dean moans and keeps his own finger next to Cas’. “Smoking’s bad for you.”

“Is that so? Are you concerned for my health?”

“Not really, but you smell like a fucking chimney.”

Cas dips his head down to nose at Dean’s neck. He pushes another finger inside of him. “Your blockers are wearing off.”

Dean sucks in a sharp breath and wraps his free hand around the back of Cas’ head. “Yeah?”

Cas flattens his tongue onto his neck and sucks his lips around it before pulling back with a pop. “Yeah.”

 _“Fuck me_ , fuck me, Cas, Jesus, fuck me.”

Cas isn’t nearly as gone as Dean, so he takes his time removing his clothes and watching Dean fuck himself back onto his own fingers. There is already a stain on the couch where Dean’s slick is dripping out past his hand.

Belatedly Cas realizes that he’s not completely hard yet, so he strokes himself before rolling a condom on. Dean doesn’t seem to notice, and Cas is glad. He would hate for Dean to think he doesn’t want him or doesn’t find him attractive.

To make matters worse, Dean lifts up on his knees and slick pours down the backs of his thighs. What Cas would give to be _that_ turned on right now.

“Cas, sweetheart, you all right?” Dean opens his eyes and reaches out for Cas.

So Cas takes his hand and wraps himself behind Dean. “You ready?” he whispers in his ear as he laces their fingers together over Dean’s chest.

Dean nods frantically, so Cas angles himself below Dean’s hole and slowly pulls his fingers out before pushing into the tight ring of muscle.

Without warning, Dean sinks back until he’s fully seated in Cas’ lap. Cas momentarily panics thinking that was way too fast and must’ve hurt and—

“I haven’t been this open in, like, years, dude,” Dean says with a level of vulnerability Cas never would’ve expected from him.

“I’m not hurting you?”

In response, Dean lifts himself up and all but slams back down onto Cas’ cock. Cas squeezes his hand harder.

They reposition so that Cas’ back is against the cushions, making it easier for Dean to ride him. Cas holds tight to his hips as Dean does all the work. He becomes mesmerized watching the muscles of Dean’s back and the way his ass moves on top of him.

Dean comes first, and it’s then that Cas realizes he'd left him on his own to tend to his erection. When Cas gets close, Dean moves faster and faster until Cas’ knot catches on his hole.

 _“Dean,_ off,” is all Cas manages to say. 

Dean just barely slides out of Cas’ lap in time, and Cas hums loudly as the condom fills with his come. He holds his cock in his hand while he rides out the extended orgasm, and when he looks down he’s shocked at how huge his knot is. Is that how big it normally is? It certainly doesn’t fill that much when he masturbates. 

Suddenly Dean’s mouth is on him, licking his knot and tearing off the condom with his teeth. He wraps his lips around the head and sucks the remainder of Cas’ come out with fierce determination. In a shocking turn of events, he pulls a washcloth out of nowhere and spits into it.

“I’ve never met an omega who doesn’t swallow,” Cas comments.

“And it’s going to stay that way because I’m not an omega, right?” Dean taps Cas on the shoulder to get him to scoot over, then he lays himself out on his stomach and rests his head on Cas’ thigh.

Cas absentmindedly rubs Dean’s back and ass like that’s something he would naturally do in these kinds of situations. “You, um. Produce quite a lot of…” 

Dean clears his throat and scratches the back of his head. “Uh, yeah. Not usually. But…yeah.” 

They sit in silence, Cas still giving Dean a strange sort of full-body massage.

“Are you done for the day?” 

“I wasn’t supposed to be, but I got a text during my smoke break saying we weren’t getting to my coverage tonight.”

“Mm, same. You still smell like ass, by the way.”

“My throat is killing me, and I’m craving another one right now. This is not good.”

“Your voice is so deep already, dude, you really don’t need to add tobacco into the mix.”

“I’ll quit tomorrow.”

 _“Sure_ you will.”

Cas smacks Dean’s ass to get him to stop teasing him. Dean yelps.

“I had several patients who died from smoking-related causes, so I guess I should know better.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

Cas freezes when he realizes what he just said. “I, uh, was a doctor.” He clears his throat. “Before I became an actor, I was a doctor.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is unrealistic and yes Dean will make Doogie Howser jokes in the next chapter.

It was a regular check-up. He came in for regular check-ups like clockwork, twice a year, more reliable than any other patient.

It was a regular check-up. 

Prostate cancer would’ve been treatable. 

Knot cancer isn't.

“Uh, you look a little upset there, Doctor.” 

“I’m, uh, sorry, Mr. Novak. Jimmy. It’s not good news.”

“What-what is it?”

“I’ll need to run some tests before I draw any conclusions, but it appears you have a cyst on your bulbous glandis.”

“Castiel, are you saying I have knot cancer?”

“I can’t know for sure. Have you had any—” 

“Amelia said—she said something was different. Something _felt_ different. I should’ve…” 

Jimmy had been so resigned, so willing to accept his fate without question. Castiel remembers admiring his attitude.

Jimmy had also told Cas to warn Amelia. The appointment would last longer than usual, and it would be easier for Cas to call her than for Jimmy to tell her when he got home. It was one of the worst phone calls Cas ever had to make as a doctor.

 

* * *

 

 _“You’re_ my husband’s doctor?”

“Um, yes, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Novak.”

“You look so much like Jimmy.”

Cas laughed. “Yes, I know. We’ve noticed. What can I help you with today, Mrs. Novak?”

“I lied to get an appointment with you, you know. I said I had stomach issues. But, um, actually I think I’m pregnant.”

“Why—you are aware I’m not an OB/GYN, correct?”

“Yeah. I know. You’re barely even out of medical school. It’s just—well, I wanted to go to somebody trustworthy. I’m just worried is all. It’s been two months, and I haven’t…”

“Your scent has not changed.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, let’s take a look.”

 

* * *

 

Jimmy stared at a spot on Cas’ desk while Amelia cried silently into his shoulder.

“Under normal circumstances, an oncologist would be sharing this news with you. However, you two—three—have never been ordinary circumstances for me. I've spent the better part of five years as your doctor and friend. If you would allow me, I would like—”

“Of course, Cas,” Jimmy interrupted. “If I’ve got,” he cleared his throat, “six months to live, then of course I want you to be my doctor through it.”

He made it seven months.

 

* * *

 

Castiel attended undergrad at age 16. 

He completed his residency at age 25. 

He called Jimmy Novak’s time of death at age 30.

He cut his medical license in half at age 31.


	15. Chapter 15

“So you’re like, Doogie fucking Howser or some shit?”

“I thought you hated Neil Patrick Harris.”

“Why’d you quit? Did you decide to move to Costa Rica and start a writing career?”

“Are we still talking about Doogie Howser?”

Dean props his chin in his hands and looks up at Cas with wide eyes. “No, seriously, what happened? Did you always want to be an actor?”

“No. It was too difficult for me, dealing with death all the time and feeling powerless against it. I felt cursed. So, um, when I met Claire’s mom, I decided on an early retirement and effectively turned into a stay-at-home dad.” It’s not _all_ a lie, and Cas decides it’s all right to omit certain truths in order to protect himself.

“And then?”

“And then Amelia and I broke up, but a 10-year-old Claire convinced me that I should be famous. Her words, not mine. I told her that I would try, and she made me promise that I would use her last name as an ‘alias.’ Why I would need an alias in Hollywood, she never explained.”

Dean laughs and drops his forehead to Cas’ thigh. “What’s your real last name?”

“Novak. I had it legally changed while Amelia and I were together." 

“Kind of defeats the purpose of an alias.”

“You’re not surprised I took the surname of my omega partner?” 

“Cas, you just told me you switched from being a doctor to being an actor because a 10-year-old told you to. You act like an alpha when you want to, but most of the time you’re just…Cas. So why would I be surprised?”

Cas pats Dean’s head patronizingly. “That was strangely poetic of you.” 

“Don’t get used to it.” Dean flips over on his back, his head still pillowed on Cas’ thigh. 

“Do you think the set is clear now?”

“Probably. We’ve been in here a while.” 

“How long had you been in here when I arrived?”

Dean shrugs. “Couple minutes.”

“And you weren’t afraid of being caught?”

“Who the hell would be visiting _your_ trailer? I mean, besides people that already know what’s going on.”

Cas doesn’t say anything for a while. He waits so long that he thinks Dean might've nodded off. Finally he asks, “What is, uh, ‘going on’? Between us, I mean.”

Dean grabs Cas’ hand and kisses his knuckles before answering. “You ever hook up with a costar before, Cas?”

 _I don’t hook up with anyone at all._ “No.” 

“Really? Never? Huh. Well, uh, basically we mess around whenever we feel like it, and that’s about it.” 

“OK.”

“You got a problem with that?”

“Why did you make a point of telling me that you and Lisa are no longer dating if all we are is fuck buddies?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was, uh, cheating on her. Cas, you know how risky this is for me, right? You know you’re the—never mind.”

“What, Dean? Say it.” Cas is not sure why he feels mad, but he does.

“I don’t sleep with dudes! All right? I’m not an omega, and I don’t sleep with dudes. So this?” Dean lifts their hands together and gestures to their naked bodies. “This is all there’s going to be to this, you got that?”

Cas considers grabbing his clothes and storming out. Telling Dean to fuck off. Shouting that he can’t treat people like toys he can play with whenever he feels like it. He wants to tell him that no, he must not be an omega because only an alpha would say something so heartless. Instead, he says, “Yeah. I got it.”

 

* * *

 

With three months left of shooting, the people in charge admit that they’re running behind schedule and they’re going to go ahead and tack on four more months.

Dean celebrates this bad news by deciding to fake sick on a Monday where he was only scheduled to shoot a scene and a half anyway. 

At noon on Sunday, there’s an unexpected knock on his door.

“Oh, so you _are_ alive. Cool,” Sam greets drily as he pushes past Dean and heads for the fridge. “I hadn’t heard from you in a few weeks, so I figured something must be wrong.” Sam throws the cap of his beer toward the trash. It misses. “So, talk.”

“Don’t you have a no drinking before 5 p.m. policy?” Dean asks as he puts the cap in the trash.

“Yeah, but we’re talking about you right now. Sit.”

Dean leans on the counter and raises an eyebrow at his brother.

Sam glares at him until Dean caves.

“It’s Cas.”

“OK. What’s going on?”

“You want the G-rated version or the R-rated version?”

“I think that’s enough for me to—”

“You know the medication I’m on? The shit that makes me…you know.”

Sam clears his throat. “Seem like a beta, yeah. What about it?”

“It’s not working.”

“What?”

“It’s not _working._ When I’m with Cas, I…” Dean makes a vaguely obscene gesture to complete his sentence.

“Oh my god.”

“Yeah.”

Sam takes a pull from his beer, and Dean decides to get one, too. They drink in companionable silence for a few minutes, Dean thinking about how much he’s missed his brother and how he really shouldn’t avoid him when he doesn’t want to talk about serious shit.

“Dean, you’re 35. You can count on two hands how many people know the truth about you." 

Dean doesn’t say anything.

“Don’t you _care?_ Don’t you care that the whole world knows who you are, thinks you’re some down-to-earth guy, but thinks you’re an alpha? A _straight_ alpha?”

“What’s your point, Sammy?”

Sam shakes his head and looks away at nothing in particular. “I don’t know, man, just hoping Cas is the catalyst that pulls you out of the closet.” 

“Not going to happen.”

“What happens when you’re 60 and you’re accepting your Oscar and you look out at the crowd and there’s nobody there for you to thank? You know, nobody who really knows who you are? No mate to kiss when you get back to your seat?”

Dean glares at his brother, giving him time to retract that idiotic question. When he doesn’t, Dean says, “You serious? You’re serious, aren’t you? Do you know _anything_ about me?”

“You told me you thought you and Cas were true mates. You said that to me. A part of you cares, Dean. A part of you wants somebody to spend your life with. I’m not saying—you don’t have to want what everyone else wants, Dean. But-but something. Someone.”

“It never works, Sammy,” Dean whispers.

Sam sighs and scratches the back of his head. “I’m sick of telling you what to do. Just, uh, try not to be an asshole to Cas. Can you at least promise me that?”

Dean nods unconvincingly. “I’m taking tomorrow off. Guest bedroom’s yours if you want it.”

 

* * *

 

_Where are you?_

Cas waits until after lunch to text Dean. He’s been worried about him all morning, but he’s still trying to be mad at him so he figured he shouldn’t sound so eager about his whereabouts.

_Sick at home._

_Are you all right?_

_Fine. Should just be a 24-hour thing._

_Well I should hope so. We’re going off site on Wednesday._

_What?_

_Atlanta airport. We’ll be there until Saturday. They just told me about it this morning._

_Why the fuck_

_To film our meeting scene again. They hate the studio footage._

_So is it just me and you going?_

_As far as actors are concerned, yes._

Dean doesn’t respond, so Cas puts his phone away and returns to work.

He finds Meg at every break. She tells him he needs to start buying his own cigarettes. He blows smoke in her face in response. 

Because Dean isn’t there to shoot their scenes, Cas is cut two hours early. He immediately drives to the store and buys soup and tea before heading over to Glendale.

Sam Winchester opens the door.

“I, uh,” Cas says intelligently.

“Dude, come on in,” Sam answers as he slings an arm around Cas’ shoulders and pulls him into the house.

“Sammy, who is it?” Dean shouts from another room.

They find Dean clamoring around in the kitchen making dinner. 

“You’re not sick,” Cas states.

Dean turns quickly and nearly drops the pan he’s holding. “Um, no. No I’m not.” 

“Look who I found, Dean,” Sam adds superfluously.

“The shoot was extended, we’re going to Atlanta on Wednesday, and you decided to take a day off?” Cas accuses.

“There’s always a delay, and this is always how I respond to delays.”

“I’m just going to…” Sam trails off as he steps backward out of the room. 

“Well, thanks for letting me get cut early today.” Cas crosses his arms and squares his shoulders.

“Can you cut me some slack here, Cas? We work 80-hour weeks for Christ’s sake.”

Cas laughs humorlessly. 

“Spit it out.”

“You are exactly the type of spoiled brat actor I fully intended on avoiding when I changed careers.”

Dean’s face falls, and then he nods down at the floor with a small smile. He forcefully throws down the washcloth he was holding and walks calmly out of the room.

Sam rounds the corner into the kitchen a few seconds later. 

“Seems like an overreaction for Dean playing hooky.” Sam pulls three plates out of the cupboards and dishes out the food. “You know, I begged him yesterday not to be an asshole to you. Looks like I was too late.”

“Does your brother care about anything other than sex?”

“Yeah, he cares about appearances. If it were up to him, he would even hide it from _me_ that he’s an omega and likes men.”

Cas looks at the plate of food in front of him but doesn’t even register what it is. A long time passes before he asks, “What’s made Dean so afraid to share himself?” 

Sam laughs and runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t know if I’m the right person to answer that question, man. I, uh, have been surprising Dean with visits for as long as he’s lived in this house.” He stops and furrows his brow like he’s said the wrong thing. Then he shakes his head and continues, “One time I showed up, and there was a guy in the kitchen wearing Dean’s robe and reading the paper. A beta named Aaron. Dean introduced him like it was normal, and I ignored the fact that I could smell sex on them. After that, he sort of opened up to me more. He talked about his relationships, and neither of us ever commented on the fact that he didn’t exclusively date women anymore. He never, uh, came out or anything.” 

“And when he presented?”

“I don’t really know. Dad talked to him for a long time, and then I didn’t see him for several days. He smelled different, but other than that he acted exactly the same. Dean’s always just been Dean, you know?”

Cas smiles shyly.

“What?”

“Dean said the same thing about me. That I’m just _Cas.”_

When Cas looks up, he finds a surprisingly worried look on Sam’s face. “You really like my brother.”

“It’s not exactly a secret.” 

“Whatever he’s doing that’s making you hate him, I promise it’s because he cares about you.”

“That sounds abusive." 

“No—I mean—” Sam closes his eyes and sighs. “Talk to him, OK? Don’t let him use you and make it seem like that’s all you’re ever going to get out of him.” 

“How did you know—”

“You’re not the first person to call him a spoiled brat.”

 

* * *

 

Dean’s stomach grumbles. He can hear Sam and Cas out in the kitchen talking, but there’s no way in hell he’s going to go out there and eat dinner with them. He’ll just wake up in the middle of the night starving instead.

There’s a familiar knock on his door followed by a very quiet, “Dean?” 

“What do you want, Cas?” he yells, still lying on the bed and not making any effort to go open the door. 

“May I come in?” 

Reluctantly, Dean pulls himself up and cracks the door open. When he sees the sad look in Cas’ eyes and the offering of food, he opens the door all the way and heads back to his bed.

“I don’t hook up with people.”

Not exactly what Dean expected to hear, but he’ll roll with it. “OK, so what?”

“You’re the first person I’ve even been, um—” Cas shifts his feet and sets the plate of food on Dean’s desk, “—attracted to since—in a long time. While the sex is nicer than I imagined it would be, it, um…”

“It’s not enough.”

Cas nods. “It’s selfish of me, I know. There are hundreds—thousands of people who would do anything to be in my current position, and yet I-I—” 

“You have feelings for me.”

Cas nods again.

 _Try not to be an asshole to Cas, all right?_  “In a perfect world, what would you want from me?”

“That’s hardly a fair question. I’m not going to humor you with fantasies that will never come to pass.”

“OK, then what’s a fair question? Tell me what to say here.”

Cas tilts his head back and dramatically rolls his eyes. He then throws his arms out and says, “Ask me on a date,” as if he's saying something ridiculous just to appease Dean.

“What?”

“A date, Dean. Ask me out.”

“I—it can’t be like that, Cas. Listen, it has nothing to do with—”

“Please don’t patronize me. If you don’t want to date me because I’m a man or because I’m an alpha, then fine. But I won’t play this game with you.”

Dean gives up. He gestures toward the door.

Cas angrily turns on his heel, but as he’s reaching for the doorknob he stops and says, “I can smell it on you, you know. Your attraction to me. I-I can only hope it isn't just about sex."

He slides out the door so fast that Dean doesn't even process what he said before he’s gone.

Dean stares at the food growing cold on his desk. By the time he decides to eat it, there’s another knock on his door.

“What do you want, Sam?”

Sam tentatively enters, and for fuck’s sake Dean can smell Cas on him and it fucking sucks.

“Cas is gone. He was upset but not as mad as he was before, so I guess that’s something. What’d you say to him?”

“I don’t know. I tried to get him to tell me what he wants from me, and he freaked out.”

“Freaked out how?” 

“Same way everybody always freaks out. Putting words in my mouth, cutting me off, not understanding a goddamn thing of what I’m trying to say. You know the most I’ve ever said during a break-up is five sentences? Five sentences. Why the fuck won’t anybody listen to what I have to say?” 

“Whoa, where’s this coming from?”

“Fuck, Sammy, it’s always been like this. I just never—I never noticed. Never thought about it.”

“Because you blame yourself for everything. So you let people walk all over you and tell you what you think you deserve to hear, and that makes it easier to walk away from them.”

“What is this? A heart-to-heart? My brain’s going to explode.”

“ _Or_ you deflect because emotions make you feel icky,” Sam teases.

“All right, Sammy, I get it. You ever going back to your life and job or are you full-time bad therapy for me now?”

“You know, Dean, the next time you’re in a situation where you need to explain yourself but the other person keeps cutting you off, just, uh, act like an alpha, all right? Make your voice heard. Cas—he’ll listen. Seriously.” Sam stands and heads toward the door. “I’m flying back tomorrow. But promise me something. While you’re in Georgia, be honest with Cas. Can you do that?”

“Yeah. I can do that.”


	16. Chapter 16

Cas closes his eyes and prepares himself for a long flight of uncomfortable sleep. They’re still parked at the gate, but Cas barely slept at all the night before and is really not looking forward to losing three more hours when they land on the East Coast. Plus, he’s sitting next to a stranger in first class. 

Just as he’s about to drift off, there’s a frantic tap on his shoulder. He opens his eyes and finds Chuck looking down at him apologetically.

“Hey, um, sorry to bother you. It’s just, uh, I’m sitting next to Dean, and he’s…he’s afraid of flying. I, you know, have anxiety and can’t really—and you’re friends with him, I mean—”

“I’ll switch seats with you, Chuck,” Cas replies as he unbuckles his seatbelt and grabs his bag out from under the seat in front of him.

Chuck thanks him profusely. Cas walks up three rows to find Dean staring straight ahead and white-knuckling both armrests.

“I was sent here to be a calming presence in your time of distress,” Cas deadpans before sitting in the aisle seat.

Dean drops his head back and sighs dramatically. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me."

“It has to be better than Chuck.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just—you don’t need to see me like this.” Dean takes in a deep breath and looks out the window.

“I can assure you, I’m going to sleep for the majority of the flight.” 

“What? But I thought you were supposed to make sure I don’t panic.”

Cas closes his eyes and leans his head back. “You’re contradicting yourself.”

“Well, _you’re—”_

“Excuse me. Um, sorry. I just was, uh, wondering if I could—do you think it would be OK if—I have this—”

“Dean is a little bit nervous about the flight, but I’m sure he would be happy to sign your notebook for you. Right, Dean?” Cas grabs the notebook from the waiting fan and shoves it toward Dean. Maybe this flight will be more exciting than he originally thought.

Dean glares at Cas and quickly scribbles his signature on a random page in the notebook. He manages a smile as he hands it back to the girl and says, “There you go, sweetheart. Sorry I’m, uh, nervous.”

The girl’s face brightens as she takes the notebook back. “It’s OK! I’m nervous, too. Thank you for everything.” She runs down the aisle as quickly as she appeared.

“Does that happen often?” Cas asks, amused.

It happens four more times before a flight attendant intervenes and doesn’t allow anyone else to speak to Dean. 

“One time I went to a movie with Sammy in West Hollywood, and, uh, somehow people found out about it. When we got out, I was nearly blinded by the camera flashes. Everybody was yelling at us.” Dean laughs and wipes the sweat from his brow. “It was fucking awesome, dude.”

“Really? You like the attention that much?” 

Dean shrugs. “When it’s not too inconvenient to me, yeah. I wouldn’t want them at my house or anything.”

“How do you keep them away? I noticed you never seem to have any trouble in Glendale.”

“Lived there my whole life. Paps came to my house once when I wasn’t there, and my neighbors scared the shit out of them. Ever since then, nobody tries to find me.”

“Hmm.”

“Dude, don’t just ‘hmm’ me, I need a distraction.” Dean smacks Cas’ chest and then grabs his hand on the armrest.

Cas flips his hand palm up and squeezes. “People are going to talk about this.”

“I don’t fucking _care_. I’m about to fly through the air in a giant metal tube—oh god, we’re moving.”

The plane begins to pick up speed, and if Castiel weren’t an alpha then the bones of his hand would definitely have broken by now with the strength of Dean’s grip.

“Shh, shh, it’s OK. You’re fine,” Cas soothes, reaching across to rub Dean’s upper arm with his free hand. On a whim, he leans in close to Dean’s ear and whispers, “Do you think anyone would notice if I jerked you off right now? People would understand if I explained that I was simply calming your nerves.”

 _“Cas_ —what—”

“Or maybe when we land, I’ll sneak into your hotel room and take your huge cock in my mouth. I would suck you off until you’re begging for more, and I wouldn’t give it to you. I’d make you wait and watch as I slick myself up, and then finally I’d wrap my lips back around your head and begin to open you up. I’d start with two fingers, because you’d already be ready for me. You’re always so ready for me, Dean. And just when you’re on the edge, I would slip in behind you and knot you like I want to. Fill you up with my come until you’re addicted to it. Would you want that? You want that as bad as I do?” 

Dean whimpers and nods swiftly in response. He’s still sweating and his eyes are shut tightly, but Cas thinks it’s for a different reason now. He squirms in his seat. Cas feels satisfied when he catches a glimpse of the bulge in his pants.

Unfortunately, they’re still in a public place. One of the two strangers sitting behind them coughs loudly and clears his throat, and that’s when Castiel realizes that both he and Dean smell like arousal. 

He scoots away from Dean and relaxes the grip on his hand. Dean looks at him like he’s offended, but Cas decides to compose himself before he says anything. He’s not hard, but his heart is hammering at the thought of Dean wanting his knot. 

“I’m sorry, that got out of hand,” Cas says eventually. "I don't usually..."

“It was helping though.”

“Yes, but we aren’t the only people on this plane, Dean.”

Dean looks down at Cas’ mouth and swallows nervously. “I’m going to, uh, go to the bathroom.” He stumbles his way out of his seat and adjusts himself as he walks.

Behind him, Cas hears a passenger whisper, “That sure looked a lot like Dean Winchester, didn’t it?”

  

* * *

 

Dean’s legs feel like jelly when he steps onto the jet way in the Atlanta airport, and he doesn’t even care that people snap photos of Cas supporting him with a hand to his back.

“Seems stupid we fly into the Atlanta airport to film a movie at the Atlanta airport,” Dean grumbles as they head toward the shuttle.

“Yes, well, we’re fortunate they have a gate undergoing construction.”

“That where we’re headed now?”

“Did you forget everything while we were flying?”

“You mean while I was holding back vomit and trying not to think about hurtling toward my death for the past six hours? Yeah, afraid I forgot everything,” Dean snaps.

“You’re on solid ground now, so there’s no need to be a smartass,” Cas gripes back.

 _“You’re_ a smartass, smartass.”

“While this is fun and all, we have to pretend to be meeting and falling in love at first sight within the next two hours, so perhaps we should attempt to be nice to each other.”

Someone near them screams and then shouts Dean’s name, and the two security guards Chuck brought with them have to calm the crowd. Dean thinks having security around makes them even more of a target, but what does he know? It’s not like he’s been wildly famous for a decade or anything.

“Dean. Are you OK?” Cas asks seriously as they stand on the crowded shuttle and head toward the mysterious closed-for-filming gate.

Dean nods curtly.

Cas discreetly reaches over and squeezes Dean’s hand. Dean looks around the train nervously and makes eye contact with a teenage girl wearing headphones. She looks like she just witnessed something she wasn’t supposed to see. He looks away quickly.

While the crew sets the stage, Dean and Cas are herded into a back room where costumes, hair and makeup are set up. Lisa grabs Dean and begins tousling his hair. He ignores the stare he feels from Castiel.

“You survived the flight?” Lisa asks sweetly.

“Barely. Cas helped.”

“Lisa, how do you know about Dean’s fear of flying?” Cas cuts in.

“Oh, it came up once or twice. Get a couple fingers of whiskey in this guy, and he’ll tell you anything.”

“That is…very useful information.”

“I swear to god, if you two gang up on me—”

“Please, don’t get your panties in a twist,” Lisa says with a wink to Cas. 

Cas squints at her like he doesn’t quite understand, and Dean wishes he was anywhere in the world but here right now.

It was _one time_ , and he just _had_ to open his goddamn mouth and tell her about it during sex one night. _One_ time.

By the time Dean zones back into the conversation, Cas and Lisa are exchanging phone numbers.

Fucking great. 

 

* * *

 

Getting back into the mindset of having no idea who Tag Nielson is and actually being infatuated with him instead of infuriated is a lot more difficult than Castiel had prepared for. He had apparently grown accustomed to shooting most of the scenes in chronological order, and now he’s forgotten everything he learned about acting when he quit his job at the hospital and sat around all day with Claire watching videos about Stanislavski.

“Hey, you with me?” Dean asks, snapping his fingers in front of Cas’ face.

Cas swats his hand away in annoyance. “I’m supposed to be falling in love with you at first sight right now. Quit making it difficult.” 

“Just imagine that there are little bunnies in your stomach hopping around and tickling your insides.”

“What?”

“Is that…not what falling in love feels like?”

The P.A. tells them to return to their previous marks.

“I wouldn’t know,” Cas replies.

“How is it we make movies about falling in love, and neither of us has been in love?”

“It’s called acting for a reason, Dean.”

Dean rolls his eyes. After the next take Chuck, in his most frustrated but still insecure manner, tells them that whatever vendetta they currently have against each other needs to be put aside for the time being.

They glare at each other before the next take.

They finish Dean’s coverage within the next half hour, but then it takes about an hour more to get through Cas’. They’re supposed to shoot one more scene before they call it a day, but when Chuck catches two cameramen and Dean yawning not so discreetly, he calls it quits and says they’ll just have to start an hour or two earlier in the morning.

Dean heaves a sigh of relief and bolts toward wardrobe. Cas rolls his eyes and follows, but he’s stopped by Lisa about halfway down the hall. 

“Hey, you two OK?” she asks. 

Cas narrows his eyes at her. “How often do you speak to Dean?”

She looks affronted but recovers with a soft smile. “You have nothing to be jealous of, Castiel. Dean just told me very recently that he…” She stops and looks down at her hands.

“Please, continue.” 

“He wants to be serious about you. Dean—he’s been through a lot.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened between you two?”

She laughs humorlessly. “We just weren’t on the same page. I realized that what we had was all we were ever going to have, and it wasn’t enough. I know, I was dating _Dean Winchester_ and I was still selfish about it. I’m a jerk.”

“No, I understand. I understand completely. There’s something about him…”

“You want all of him, but he won’t let you have it.”

“Mmm.”

“He’s easy to fall in love with. Be careful, OK?”

Cas tilts his head in curiosity. “He trusts you implicitly.”

“Yeah. He does. But I was the one to force that.”

Cas nods, and Lisa pats him reassuringly on the shoulder. As he walks away, he briefly wonders why on earth Dean would want _him_ over _her._

He doesn’t think he’s going to see Dean again before they leave the airport, but as they pick up their luggage waiting for them in an office at baggage claim, Dean comes up behind him and slaps him on the shoulder.

“What’s your room number?” he whispers in Cas’ ear.

“Um, 306.”

“Cool. I’m coming over tonight.”

Cas covers his surprised gasp with a cough. 

Dean is, quite possibly, the most aggressive omega he’s ever met.

 

* * *

 

On the way down to Cas’ room, Dean gets stuck on the elevator taking a picture with a fan. Then he passes a guy in the hallway who stares at him with wide eyes, so Dean winks and shoots finger guns at him. After they’ve passed each other, the guy shouts back, “I loved you in _Ocean’s Twelve!”_ Dean waves over his shoulder.

Cas opens the door before Dean’s even knocked.

“You were all right in _Ocean’s Twelve,”_ he greets blandly.

“Hey, not my fault the original was better and the only reason they brought me in was for even _more_ good-looking male star power,” he returns as he pushes past Cas and flops onto the bed.

“Is it true Brad Pitt is an omega?”

Dean laughs loudly. “Yeah, dude. Angelina’s the alpha obviously. They’re so chill about it.”

Cas slides onto the bed belly down and crosses his arms under his chin. “He still gets work.”

“Yeah, but he’s Brad fucking Pitt.”

“And you’re Dean fucking Winchester.”

Dean pinches his nose and replies, “Is this what we’re doing this week? Pushing each other’s buttons and getting into pointless arguments?’

Cas reaches out and laces their fingers together. “Only if you want to.”

Dean laughs and instinctively lifts their hands up so he can kiss Cas’ knuckles. “What did Lisa say to you today?”

“That you enjoy wearing women’s underwear in bed.”

Dean can feel the color drain right out of his face.

“She actually didn’t, but that’s the reaction I was hoping to get out of you,” Cas says slyly.

“You could ruin my life so easily.” 

“Mm, yeah.”

“Hey, uh, you in the mood?”

“Rarely. What did you have in mind?”

“I was going to blow you, but now I’m wondering what I have to do to get you in the mood.”

“Well, you could start by changing into some lingerie—”

“Yeah, yeah, maybe when we’re mated.”

They both stare at each other.

They move at the same time, crashing their lips together and tangling in the sheets like horny teenagers. Cas rips off Dean’s t-shirt and slides his sweatpants down past his hips. Dean moans into Cas’ mouth and wiggles the rest of the way out of his pajamas. He’s thinking about tearing into Cas’ clothes when Cas lifts him up so he’s sitting in his lap facing him. Dean instinctively wraps his arms around his shoulders and presses his lips and tongue to his neck. Cas growls and digs his fingers into his lower back.

“Why aren’t you naked?” Dean breathes into his ear.

“Get me hard first.”

Now Dean’s the one growling. He arches up and sinks his ass into Cas’ lap. He repeats the process several times, becoming more urgent on each pass, his own cock leaking precome onto Cas’ shirt. He searches for friction against his ass as he comes down. Nothing.

“Why do you have to be such a difficult son of a bitch?”

“Would you prefer a sex-crazed knothead? I can find you one if you give me about five minutes.”

Dean circles his hips around Cas’ lap and finally feels something stirring to life under him. “You’re the weirdest fucking alpha I’ve ever met.”

“And yet.” Cas finishes the thought by squeezing Dean’s shaft in his hand.

Dean tenses and shudders and barely notices when Cas pushes him backward toward the foot of the bed and leers over his groin. Without warning, Cas wraps his lips around the head of Dean’s cock and takes him in hand again. He slides down until his lips meet up with his fingers, and then he moves them in opposite rhythm.

“This is not—how this—was supposed—to go,” Dean manages as he white-knuckles the sheets and lets his head fall back over the end of the bed.

Cas sucks down hard and presses the heel of his hand to Dean’s balls in response.

Half an hour later, Dean comes down Cas’ throat with a muted scream.

“I haven’t come from just a blow job since I was 20,” Dean comments as Cas wipes his mouth and sits up to crack his back. 

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t know, my dick usually expects more I guess.”

Cas forces his hand between the bed and Dean’s ass and says, “If you want more, I can—” 

“Nah, dude. Quit overthinking this.” 

Cas gives up his quest and sits back against the headboard. Dean stays where he is, pushing his foot between Cas’ legs.

“Nothing going on down there?” he asks as he searches for Cas’ dick with his foot.

Cas grabs the side of his foot and stops its movement. “Not today. Quit worrying about me, Dean.”

“But I want you to have a good time, too.”

“Trust me, that was plenty pleasurable enough.”

Dean finally flips around so he can rest his head on Cas’ thigh. “You know, I haven’t spent much time in Atlanta, but it seems like a cool city.”

“This is my first time here.”

“Do you want to…um, you want to go out tomorrow after work? Explore the city a little bit?”

“Dean, are you asking me on a date?”

“Maybe. Yeah, I guess.”

Cas leans down and kisses his forehead. “I would like that.”

 

* * *

 

Castiel barely sleeps that night. He stands awkwardly as Dean puts his clothes back on, and then they kiss at the door on his way out. Kissing turns into groping and shoving into walls, and after several minutes Dean finally breaks away with a laugh and insists that he needs to sleep in his own bed. He sneaks out the door and Cas resists the urge to watch him walk down the hall. There could be people watching.

They both look far from well-rested when they arrive back at the airport the next morning, and the small crew gives them weird looks as they prepare for the day. Cas belatedly realizes that he forgot his scent blockers, but when he mentions it Dean catches his wrist and tells him not to use them. 

“Easier for me to act like I like you if I can smell you,” Dean mutters.

Cas squeezes his hand and smiles. 

They make it through the call sheet a lot faster than the day before, and by lunch they’re caught up with the schedule enough to be able to leave at a decent hour. One of the fancier restaurants in the airport provides lunch for them, and Dean and Cas sit together out in the open like it’s normal. It’s nice not worrying about other actors’ curious stares. Technicians don’t really seem to give a shit about the private lives of actors, so Cas boldly reaches across the table and traces a fingertip down the back of Dean’s hand. 

Dean looks around nervously and shifts in his chair, but then he winks at Cas and nudges him with his knee under the table. 

They finish shooting by 8 p.m. Dean waits for Cas so they can leave together. His driver is already waiting outside. They climb into the backseat together without a word. Dean tells the driver to take them to Aria, and then he reaches across the middle seat to squeeze Cas’ knee.

Cas isn’t sure if Dean is trying to impress him, but when they get to the restaurant he asks for a wine list and then orders beer instead. Cas orders wine, and the server brings him the whole bottle. Dean insists that Cas pick an appetizer. They end up getting three different ones.

“I already like you, Dean, there’s no reason to spend all of your money on me.”

“No offense, Cas, but I’m very wealthy.”

“What does one even _do_ with all the money you have?”

Dean shrugs and drinks his beer. “Don’t know. I grew up poor and still feel pretty blue collar. I give about half my income to charities." 

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, what the hell else am I supposed to do with it?”

“Does your agent know that? It seems like he would want to exploit that to boost your public image.”

Dean looks offended. “You think my public image needs boosting?”

“You’re on a fancy date with a man you’re fucking on screen. There have been articles written about our friendship. I think your public image is perfect.”

He drinks more beer and cautiously looks around the room. “No, Crowley doesn’t know.”

“You know people stare at you all the time, right? There’s no reason to scan a room when you implicitly know that people are watching you.” Cas maintains eye contact with Dean as he continues, “A man to your left is trying to discreetly take a picture of you on his phone by pretending to take a picture of his date. A little girl in the back corner has been looking at you with her mouth open for the past five minutes. She’s wearing a Captain America t-shirt. There’s a woman over—” 

“All right, all right, I get it. Geez.” 

Cas is quiet for a minute before saying, “And there’s going to be a crowd outside the restaurant when we leave.”

Dean looks toward the door and sighs when he sees the crowd gathering. “Fuck me.”

“Gladly.” 

That snaps Dean’s attention back to Cas, but their server appears with the appetizers before they can continue that line of thinking. 

“We’re sorry about the people outside, Mr. Winchester. We’ll get it taken care of.”

“Hey, man, I’ll tip every one of you a thousand bucks if I can get out of here without being mobbed.”

Cas nearly chokes on his wine.

“That’s—that’s really not—we couldn’t possibly acc—”

“Dude, come on. It’s seriously not a problem. Just, uh, help me out?”

The server straightens and responds, “Yes, sir,” before disappearing.

Cas opens his mouth to speak, but Dean cuts him off with, “I always tip the wait staff at least 500 each when I go out.”

 _“What?”_  

“Dude, didn’t I _just_ tell you that I have no idea what to do with all this goddamn money? Were you listening?” 

Cas shakes his head and reaches for a plate. Within the next five minutes, the wait staff has successfully scattered the crowd outside and given a thumbs up to Dean.

“I don’t get it.”

“Hmm?” Dean asks around a mouthful of food.

“Don’t celebrities drive fancy cars and move into bigger and better houses every few years and go to parties and hang out with other rich people?” 

“Hey, my car is fancy.”

“You also inherited it from your father when you were 26.”

“Stop googling me, man!”

“You’re avoiding my question.”

Dean ducks his chin and mumbles, “Yeah, well, maybe it’s personal.”

Cas leans across the table and smiles softly. “I want to know you, Dean. However much you’re willing to share, I’ll listen.”

Dean clears his throat and pulls at the collar of his button-down. “Grew up in that house. Hell, grew up in that _car_. I’m a sentimental sap, all right?”

Cas decides to back off, recognizing the angry rise in Dean’s voice and not wanting to press his luck. He doesn’t even have to come up with a change of subject either, because the server comes back with their entrees and they eat in silence for a few minutes. 

“How’s Claire doing?” Dean asks eventually. 

“I don’t know. She’s 17, she doesn’t tell me things. She hangs out a lot with a boy, and that of course concerns me.”

“She’s a beta, right? She ever date anybody before?”

“Yes and no respectively. I’m not worried about her not being able to take care of herself, but I am, for lack of a better term, extremely protective.”

That pulls a laugh out of Dean, and he nearly chokes on his beer. “Oh yeah? Is that behavior exclusive to Claire, or—”

“You hardly need protecting. I’ll reserve _possessive_ for you.”

By the time their dessert arrives, Cas is lightheaded, wine drunk and so full he doesn’t know how he manages to eat half of the chocolate cake they’re sharing. He’s pretty sure Dean is even drunker than he is, but it’s hard to tell through the haze.

As promised, Dean leaves an absurd tip for all the servers before he and Cas head out to face the crowd. A few paps snap pictures and yell at them, but they both simply hide their faces and keep moving until they get to the car.

Once they’re seated, Dean yanks Cas to his side and wraps an arm around his shoulder all the way down to his hip. Cas squeezes Dean’s thigh and turns to peck him on the cheek.

Dean, however, has other plans. He grabs Cas’ jaw and holds him in place for a bruising kiss, and Cas responds in kind by moving his hand from Dean’s thigh to his groin.

Dean yelps. The driver asks if everything is OK. They laugh and shush each other as if the driver doesn’t already know what’s going on between them. 

By the time they make it back to the hotel, both of their flies are down, and Cas’ tie is irrevocably skewed. Luckily, Dean is lucid enough to generously tip the driver and whisper something in his ear, hopefully telling him to keep his mouth shut.

As they stumble inside, Dean keeps his arm around Cas’ hip and squeezes him so hard into his side that Cas steps on Dean’s feet a few times. Only the concierge is in the lobby, and she doesn’t even look up from her computer as they step into the elevator and start kissing again before the doors even shut. 

It takes Dean an unreasonable amount of time to unlock his hotel room, so when the click finally sounds Cas nearly breaks down the door as he pushes Dean inside.

“Whoa, easy there, tiger,” Dean says with a laugh.

Cas growls and throws Dean onto the bed in response.

Dean reaches up for Cas and Cas willingly follows, falling on top of him and accidentally elbowing him in the stomach. He knees Dean in the hip as he apologizes.

“All right, just stop moving,” Dean grumbles before sealing their mouths together and holding Cas steady.

As they kiss, Cas rolls his hips and shifts his thigh to create pressure against Dean’s groin. Dean keeps moaning loudly, which is definitely not something he does sober. 

Cas pulls away with a laugh and drops his head to Dean’s chest. 

“What?” Dean asks, sounding offended.

“We have terrible breath. And you keep making strange noises.” 

“I kiss your goddamn ashtray mouth every day, assface.”

“Turn over,” Cas demands.

Dean grins like an idiot and scoots his way around to his stomach. Cas yanks his hips back and pulls his pants down. Dean twists his head back and whispers, “You going to knot me, alpha?”

Something deep and carnal courses through Cas at the suggestion, and without warning he surges forward and licks the slick out of Dean’s ass.

Dean nearly screams as he arches off the bed, and that’s all the encouragement Cas needs to continue. He sucks and licks his way around Dean’s hole, and as Dean becomes more desperate Cas adds a couple of fingers as well. Once his slick starts coming faster than Cas can keep up with, he backs off and tries to remember where the hell he left the condoms.

“Back pocket of my pants!” Dean shouts. “Hurry!”

Cas breaks the first one, curses, and focuses extremely hard as he opens the second one. After the condom’s in place, he strokes his dick a few times to ensure that he really is ready for this. Dean whines while he waits, so Cas slaps him on the ass as he sinks into him. 

They move slowly at first, trying to find a rhythm in their drunken haze. Cas drapes himself over Dean’s back to get a better angle, and that pulls a soft sigh out of him.

Cas whispers in his ear, “You know, you’re pretty needy for not being an omega.”

“That’s sexist. Anybody can be needy. You going to start moving anytime today, or...?”

Cas thrusts in hard, and Dean simultaneously gasps and laughs. They pick up the pace after that, Cas finding Dean’s prostate on every other thrust as the headboard rocks against the wall. 

“Cas, please. Please, _please—”_

Cas reaches under him and takes his cock in his hand. He tries a light pressure at first, but Dean covers his hand with his own and insists he tighten his grip. Cas holds nothing back, and soon enough Dean comes onto the sheets with a small cry.

It takes Cas several more minutes to get close. He finds it particularly amusing that Dean just goes lax and pliant beneath him like his work is done.

He pulls out and tears the condom off so he can spill onto Dean’s back and watch it trickle down toward his shoulder blades.

“You like that, Cas? You like claiming me? Marking me?” 

The words pull another orgasm out of Cas, and now Dean’s back is completely covered.

“Yeah, alpha. Make me yours.”

He comes one more time. Dean laughs and tells him, “All right, that’s enough.”

With a heavy sigh, Cas falls onto the bed next to Dean and presses the heel of his hand to his knot to try to relieve some of the need.

“Do you really care that I smoke?”

Dean huffs a laugh. “No. I smoked like a chimney in my 20s.”

“Why’d you stop?”

“You ever see _Smoke Room?”_

“Are you about to tell me you got over smoking by playing an addict?” 

“No, I smoked for real on screen and suddenly associated smoking with working and never wanted another cigarette again.”

“I wondered how the cigarettes looked so real.”

“Our props people were so pissed when the director changed his mind and asked for the real deal.”

“Mm. I’m quitting, you know.”

“Sure.” Dean starts to scoot off the bed, trying not to spill any semen onto the sheets. “I’m going to go shower your jizz off of me. Feel free to spend the night.”

Cas falls asleep before Dean returns.

He wakes up in the morning with a heavy arm slung over his chest. He turns over to see Dean lying on his stomach, faced squished into the mattress.

His chest constricts with the thought that it would be nice to wake up like this every morning.

The alarm goes off, and Dean hits him in the face as he jumps awake.


	17. Chapter 17

Reality’s a bitch.

At 4 a.m. the day after they get back from Atlanta, Dean’s alarm sounds like a giant “fuck you” for how good of a vacation he had.

Vacation. It wasn’t a vacation. It was a work trip.

He grabs his phone to shut off his alarm, and he’s unsurprised to find a text from Cas. 

_We’re in the news again._

Dean groans and looks around his room to try to remember where he put his Advil. 

He doesn’t check the Internet before leaving for work. 

 _You and Cas are Hollywood’s hottest couple right now._

He quickly clicks out of Sam’s text and still doesn’t go online.

Cas is waiting in his trailer when he arrives, bent over with his hands clasped between his knees like he’s been sitting there for a while quietly freaking out. The entire trailer smells like smoke.

“Do you have a key to my trailer?” Dean asks as he locks the door behind him.

“There are pictures of us. At the restaurant, leaving the restaurant, walking into the hotel. Dean, this isn’t just fan speculation or-or good press for the film anymore.” 

Dean sits down next to him and wraps a reassuring arm around his shoulders. “Are you freaking out because you’re expecting me to freak out?”

Cas sits back and glares at him. “Yes,” he says like it’s obvious.

Dean kisses his cheek. “Let’s go back to Atlanta, huh? Where everything’s perfect.”

“Dean, do you not—” 

“I don’t care, Cas. I’m so tired of caring.”

“You mean it?”

Dean hesitates before nodding.

Cas smiles softly and cups his cheek as he leans in for a kiss. Dean grunts and leans back to let Cas take control, but Cas only teases him with his tongue before pulling back and knocking their foreheads together.

“What?” Dean whispers anxiously. It feels like something big is coming, something important. 

“Why do you have power saws in your garage?”

“Um, what?”

“Ever since that day I came over, I can’t stop thinking about it. They looked like they were actually used often.”

Dean removes his arm from around Cas and leans forward as he laughs. “Damn it, Cas, I thought you were about to tell me you loved me or some shit.”

“What? Why in the world would I—how big of a narcissist _are_ you?”

“Hey, I’m 90 percent crap. The other 10 percent is ego.”

“You’re not 90 per—”

“It was just really serious for a second, and that’s usually when people, you know, tell me something that causes us to break up.”

“Well, I’ll make sure never to tell you that I love you unless I want to break up with you. Which, to be clear, there’s nothing yet to even break up, so I don’t know why we’re having this conversation. I really am curious about the power tools.”

“I don’t know, I like to build stuff sometimes? I like working on cars and making tables and shit.”

“When the hell do you have time for that?" 

“I don’t. Not lately. But sometimes there’s a month or two between filming and press and everything else, so I try not to sit on my fat ass marathoning telenovelas all day.”

“Did you just call yourself fat?” 

Dean scratches the back of his neck. “Look, I got lazy once between jobs and then had to drop 20 pounds in two weeks when I got hired again. I’m speaking from experience.”

Cas adopts a serious expression and throws his arm around the back of the couch. “One day we’re going to sit down and talk about your dietary habits so you don’t kill yourself with all of the fluctuations.”

“Yeah, sure we are. We’re going to be late. Get the hell out of here.”

He smacks Cas’ ass on the way out.

Before he even makes it to wardrobe, Jo corners him in an unused set.

“What the hell—”

“You’re dating Cas.”

“Yeah, well, your advice was shit, so—”

“What?” She steps back and removes her hand from his chest.

“You said to give Cas what I can and not worry that it won’t be enough. It wasn’t enough, and I almost lost him over it.”

Jo looks confused, hurt—maybe disappointed? “What did you tell him? That you wanted to hang out and have sex?”

“Yeah—I mean, I, uh, told him it wasn’t going anywhere and that he shouldn’t expect anything more from me.”

“All right, that’s not exactly the same thing, but I’m still surprised he wasn’t more understanding. I mean, the dude’s got it bad for you, you’d think he’d be happy with anything.” 

Dean shakes his head and decides that he shouldn’t go to Jo for advice about Cas anymore. “Jo, Cas barely even _likes_ sex. Why would he be OK with a relationship built on it? And I hate to break it to you, but the more you like a person, the more you tend to want out of them. I've been on the receiving end of that enough times to know. You should talk to Cas. I have to go.”

Jo looks offended, but Dean stalks off before they get into an argument. 

He mulls over what he just said and realizes he’s never pieced it together before. He’ll never be able to fake it with Cas as if sex is equivalent to romance because Cas doesn’t give a shit about sex. It suddenly hits him how fucked up their situation is—Cas wants to date and kiss and do all the things that couples are supposed to do, and Dean? Dean wants a friend that he can be himself with. And fuck.

They want completely different things.

For some reason, Dean still isn’t freaking out.

 

* * *

 

It’s a rough day at work for Cas.

Now that he’s home from Atlanta, everything he left unresolved is creeping up on him. Sure, Dean didn’t freak out about their relationship speculation, but Claire is still pissed at him and Amelia keeps texting him asking what’s wrong.

Lisa notices that he’s on edge, and she reassures him that if he ever needs to talk she’s always willing to listen. Castiel continues to wonder why Dean isn't still with her.

Dean notices his worry, too, and keeps shooting him nervous looks and trying to talk to him between coverage but it’s an extremely busy day and they barely even have time for breaks.

Which is another terrible thing because Cas wants nothing more than a cigarette, and because he hasn’t gotten one all day he’s feeling even _more_ anxious. 

He smokes half a pack on his car ride home that night. Hannah narrows her eyes at him when he comes into the kitchen.

“You’ve been smoking,” she says. 

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard Claire’s upset with you. I wanted to make sure everything was OK, but clearly it’s not if you’ve been smoking.”

Cas removes his coat and takes a seat at the counter. “I picked up the habit from a coworker, and now it appears I’m developing an addiction.”

“And Claire?” 

“Doesn’t approve of my life choices.”

“The smoking, you mean?”

“I don’t even know if she knows about that,” Cas mutters. 

Hannah sits next to him and places a hand on his back. “Castiel, what’s going on with you? I’ve never seen you like this.”

Cas takes a deep breath. “I might be dating Dean Winchester, and he is simultaneously not enough and more than I can handle.”

“You’re dating Dean Winchester?”

Cas hesitantly nods and drops his face in his hands.

“I don’t know how all of this has to do with Claire, but I suggest you talk to her. I know all of the people you interact with, and I can assure you that she, for some reason, is your best confidant.”

He turns to look into his sister’s eyes. “Do you not care that I’m dating one of the most famous people in the world?”

“I’ve seen the pictures, and frankly I’m not surprised. You’ve been smitten with him for a while, and you hardly ever fail to get what you want. Even if you kill yourself in the process.” 

“Well, that’s reassuring.”

“You’re attracted to Dean?” She awkwardly clears her throat before continuing. “Sexually, I mean?”

“Hannah—”

“This is a part of the conversation I refuse to let you have with Claire, so you're going to have it with me.”

 _“Fine_. Yes, sometimes. More often than average for me. Still less than usual for normal people, and definitely way less than what would be expected for someone _Dean_ is with.”

“And you’re sure there’s nothing you can do about it? This isn’t a symptom of depression or something of the sort?”

“Hannah, your sex drive is even lower than mine. When have we ever—”

“Yes, I know, we’ve never cared. Which is why I’m checking now, because suddenly you _do_ care.”

“It’s not sudden. I watched the majority of Dean’s filmography before I felt anything at all for him, and even then it was just a fantasy with no real…sexual feelings behind it.”

Hannah nods like she understands, and then they sit in silence for a few minutes. Eventually she walks to the fridge and pulls out two beers for them.

“Give me your pack of cigarettes,” she demands before handing him his beer.

He doesn’t even try to argue. He knows he needs to quit.

 

* * *

 

Three days after Atlanta, Dean finally Googles himself and Cas.

_Spotted: was it a date or filming? New photos of Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak_

_“Bright Atlanta” stars Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak get cozy off set_

_Dean Winchester caught making out with male costar_

_Sources say Castiel Novak is an alpha, so what does that make Dean?_

_Is Dean Winchester gay?_

“Jesus Christ,” Dean mutters to himself.

This was a bad idea. He exits out of Chrome and calls Sam. 

“So? You saw?" Sam greets.

“My personal favorite so far is, ‘ _Kevin Feige rips up Dean Winchester’s contract, searches for new Cap.’”_

“You know, I’ve thought about it over the past couple of days, and it’s actually good that this is being so blown out of proportion. Means people won’t buy it.”

“You really believe that?”

“No reporters have shown up on set or at yours or Cas’ houses. They’re all just speculating right now. They don’t give a fuck about the truth.” 

“Yeah, but this time they don’t need to. They’re already right, Sammy.”

As Sam continues explaining why the situation doesn’t warrant panic, there’s a knock on Dean’s trailer door. Cas comes in without waiting for a response. He sits patiently across from Dean with his hands clasped over his knees.

“I’m not freaking out, Sam. I feel like you’re more worried about this than I am.”

“What about Crowley? Is he up your ass about it?”

“He sent me a text yesterday that said, ‘smooth, Dean.’ I haven’t called him. Look, uh, Cas just got here, so I got to—”

“Yeah, tell him I said hey. And quit being fucking morons. Bye.” 

Dean throws his phone onto the coffee table and rolls his eyes. “Sorry, Cas. Sam says hey.”

“My favorite article is Perez Hilton asserting that we’ve already made a sex tape.” 

“ _Already?_ You got plans you’re not telling me?” Dean grins and pats the space next to him.

Cas raises an eyebrow at him, but he comes to sit next to him anyway. Dean pulls him close to his side and kisses his temple. 

“Alpha doesn’t like being bossed around, huh?”

“I’m comfortable enough in my masculinity to obey orders without protest. I do, however, prefer to be in charge.” 

“You don’t smell like ass." 

“I haven’t smoked in two days.”

“That’s great, honey.”

“Did you just call me hon—” 

“Let’s just move past it. You want to get some food?” 

Cas gives him a warm smile before kissing him on the lips. “I would like that.”

They walk all the way down the steps of Dean’s trailer before realizing they’re holding hands. They pull away from each other and don’t speak on the walk to the car.

There are reporters surrounding the Impala. Cas has to hold Dean back from punching one of them right in the face.

He nearly runs them all over on his way out of the parking lot.

“I suppose I’ll ride with you to work tomorrow morning,” Cas says. 

“What? Oh. Your car. We can always go back if you—”

“Dean, please. Let’s use this perfectly gift-wrapped excuse to sleep together tonight.”

“Whoa, hey, this is only a second date. I’m not that easy.” 

“Yes, you are,” Cas deadpans without missing a beat.

“Well, _you’re_ easy,” Dean mutters to the steering wheel.

The paparazzi show up halfway through their meal, so they sneak out the back of the restaurant and go to Cas’ house.

“Is it always like this for you?” Cas asks seriously on the ride home.

“Sometimes. It wasn’t with Lisa because she’s—uh, she’s a nobody. But it’s weirdly good press for our movie, and it would be a big story if I came out.”

“Mm, I see.”

“What, you’re not going to lecture me about coming out? Tell me it’s what I need to do to make all this blow over, stop all the rumors, go back to normal?”

“It sounds like you’re doing a fine job of lecturing yourself.”

“Hey, fuck you.”

“I hope you do.”

Even after all the talk, they end up not fucking that night. They lie on Cas’ bed talking and sharing lazy kisses until Dean passes out with his head pillowed on Cas’ belly.

He wakes easily in the morning, on his stomach on the opposite side of the bed but with his arm thrown out across Cas’ chest. He turns his head and smiles at Cas’ sleeping face. Sharing a bed with him more often wouldn’t be so bad.

“Cas,” he whispers.

“Mmm.” 

“Cas, wake up.”

Cas makes a disgruntled face and grips Dean’s arm. His eyes stay closed.

Dean decides to try a different tactic. He crawls across the covers until he’s hovering over Cas, and he caresses his bare hip with one hand while he lavishes kisses on his jaw and neck.

 _“Dean,”_ Cas groans after a couple of minutes.

“What?” Dean asks between kisses. 

“I’m trying to sleep.” Cas blindly reaches for Dean’s face and half-heartedly smacks it.

“We have to leave for work in half an hour.” Dean dips his head toward Cas’ chest and lightly sucks at the skin between his pecs.

“I have a guest bathroom you can shower in.”

“Or we could shower together.”

“Or that, yes.” Cas runs a hand through Dean’s hair.

“We’re going to be late.”

“Mmm.”

Dean slots a thigh between Cas’ legs and is not surprised to find him—

“Really, dude? Not even morning wood?”

Cas just shrugs.

“All right, shower,” Dean grumbles as he climbs off the bed and reaches his hands down to help Cas up. 

Dean hits his funny bone against the wall of the shower. He tries to talk to Cas, but Cas just keeps shouting, _“What?”_ at him until Dean gives up. At one point Dean curls behind Cas to help him wash, and Cas ends up slipping and almost falling on his ass.

When they get out, Cas rummages through his drawers and tosses a set of clothes at Dean. The jeans are a little snug in the waist and baggy in the thighs, but nobody on set will notice the difference. Dean tries not to fit every omega stereotype by drinking in the scent of Cas’ clothes mixed with his own skin, and he definitely doesn’t bask in the thought of wearing something that screams, “Cas’ property—no trespassing.” 

“Quit looking like you’re pleased to wear my clothes. It’s too early,” Cas complains.

Dean thinks he might actually be serious, but then Cas smacks his ass and growls before locking their hands together and heading out of his room.

“You know, Cas, you should—”

“Oh, hi, Dean Winchester.” 

Dean freezes and pulls his hand away from Cas’. He stares at Claire, but she just keeps looking down at her phone and eating a bowl of cereal as if he’s not even there.

“Um, this isn’t—”

“What it looks like? How you wanted me to find out? Don’t worry, Dean. I’m not going to tell anyone.”

“Claire, when did you get here?” Cas asks, and his voice sounds different. Like he’s scared.

Claire glares at him. “Last night. I assumed you were asleep, so I didn’t bother you.” She stands and grabs her backpack off the stool next to her. “I’m going to school. I’ll be back tonight. Don’t forget your scent blockers, dumbasses.”

She doesn’t bother putting her bowl in the sink, so Dean does it for her after she leaves. 

“She already suspected. I should’ve known she would…” Cas trails off, lost in thought.

Dean goes over to him and squeezes his upper arms. “Hey, look at me. It’s all right, OK? Why're you so worried about this, man?”

Cas’ eyes look dead as he stares at Dean. “She believes I’m prejudiced against omegas and that I’m trying to control her life while letting my own spiral out of control. And she doesn’t even know about the smoking.”

“OK. OK, that’s fine. Cas, buddy, she loves you. She’s not going to stay mad at you forever. Hey, come on.” He kisses his forehead in reassurance. “You’re the least prejudiced alpha I’ve ever met.”

Cas sighs and kisses Dean chastely without looking up at him again. “We’re going to be late.”

As they’re heading out the door, Cas receives a text.

Dean catches a glimpse of it. 

Enough to know that it was Claire informing him that she fought off a paparazzo on her way out the door.

Maybe everything really will be all right.

 

* * *

 

Castiel doesn’t even have it in him to care that people see him and Dean walking onto the lot together that morning. He even considers wrapping an arm around his omega’s waist just to make a point. 

His omega.

He spends the majority of the morning trying to drill out that line of thinking before it starts to tell him that he’s in love. The P.A. asks him over and over again if everything is all right and if he’s sure he can get through his coverage today.

Meg offers him a cigarette during break, but he refuses. She reminds him it’s her last day on set. He still refuses.

“Are you doing anything to celebrate being done?” Cas asks her.

She flashes him a sly smile and moves closer to him. “I don’t know, am I?”

“Uh, I don’t know. That’s why I asked.” 

She blows smoke in his face and laughs. “What are you up to after work tonight, Clarence?”

“I have to talk to my stepdaughter.”

Meg’s brow furrows. She looks him up and down and then takes a step back. “You realize I’m hitting on you, right?” 

“What?”

“You know, I was hoping to move some furniture around tonight.” She moves close again. “You understand?”’

Cas steps back. “You’re an alpha.”

Meg looks confused again. “And everybody knows you’ve got a thing for other alphas.”

“What? Who is saying that?”

“Um, _you?_ The press? The whole goddamn country?”

“You mean Dean? I’m not—I don’t—Dean isn’t—”

“Don’t hurt yourself there, Clarence. If there’s really nothing going on between you and Cap,” she says while running a finger down his chest, “then it shouldn’t be a problem for you to come home with me.” 

“I-I can’t do that, Meg.”

She smiles and pats his face. “That’s what I thought. Have fun with your big, bad alpha.” She smacks his ass and starts to walk away. “Don’t stay in touch!” she calls over her shoulder. 

Castiel closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He could really use a cigarette.

Dean tries to corner him in his trailer that night to get in a quickie before they go home, but Cas pushes him away and tells him he has to get home to talk to Claire.

On his way out the door, Dean catches him by the wrist. “Hey, you OK?”

Cas stares down at the hold Dean has on him. “I will be after I talk to Claire. This really doesn’t concern you, Dean, so would you please—”

“Doesn’t concern me?” Dean asks angrily. “I’m sorry, but am I not your boyfriend?”

“Um, I don’t know, are you?” Cas takes his hand away and crosses his arms. “I have no idea what that word even means for you. And even if we are a couple, that doesn’t mean you get to be involved with me and Claire. That doesn’t mean I tell you everything about my life.”

Dean crosses his arms, too, but in a more protective way. Like he’s trying to hide himself from Cas, make himself small for his alpha. “You’re right. You don’t owe me anything. I’ll see you later, Cas.”

“Dean—”

He slams the door behind him.

Cas raises his head to the ceiling and wonders what else he can fuck up today. Just one more difficult conversation before he can crawl into a hole and die.

Claire is waiting for him in the kitchen when he gets home. She’s wearing pajamas and drinking a cup of coffee. She yawns dramatically when he walks in.

“I’m sorry you had to wait,” he says as he takes a seat across from her.

“Not a big deal.”

“I think I’m dating Dean Winchester.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“Claire, I’m sorry. This thing with Dean—”

“I don’t care about that. You don’t have to tell me everything about your personal life, Cas. But just—don’t be shitty about mine.”

“You know I worry about you. I just want you to be, uh, safe.”

“There’s only one of us here fucking an omega. As I’ve already told you, Kevin is just a friend. Why you care either way is beyond me.”

Cas takes a moment to collect his thoughts. “I had a patient once. He was your age, and he was an omega. He, um. He had been attacked at school in broad daylight, and nobody did anything about it. A teacher found him an hour after it happened and called an ambulance. He barely made it.”

There’s a long pause. 

“No offense, Cas, but you’re old. That was, what? Fifteen years ago? Things aren’t perfect, but they’re getting better. Nobody at my school gives a shit that Kevin’s an omega. Hell, nobody even notices us.” 

“Really?”

Claire laughs and shakes her head. “The only omega you ever talk to is Dean Winchester, and it’s obvious he hates himself. Not everybody’s like that, dude.”

“Do you think—never mind.”

“What? C’mon.” 

“If Dean came out, would the response be positive?”

“Um, yes. Duh. People would freak the fuck out and think he’s even more precious than he already is.”

“People think he’s precious?" 

“He’s simultaneously tough as nails and a big, nerdy softie. People love that shit.”

“Hmm.”

“Cas. I’m not mad at you.” She stands and puts her mug in the sink. “If you keep smoking, though, I will be.”

“How did you—”

“Don’t worry about it!” she says as she leaves the kitchen.

Cas receives a text from Dean five minutes later.

_I was invited to the Emmys. You want to be my date?_


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Few things
> 
> 1\. Warning for drug use  
> 2\. I'm not entirely sure what happens before award shows, so most of this chapter is a lot of speculation.  
> 3\. Nothing's going to happen between Meg and Benny.  
> 4\. I've never seen Veep, have no idea what it is, think it's funny that it's nominated every year and people are always like what the fuck is Veep???  
> 5\. I'm sorry I'm in love with Neil Patrick Harris and accidentally made him a character in this fic. I just love him OK please forgive me. Oh also, the joke he makes at the Emmys is referring to the fact that he never won an Emmy for playing Barney on HIMYM.

“Shit—fuck, why did I just—goddamn it, Dean,” he mutters to himself as he types out another text to Cas. 

 _Wait. Don’t answer that. Drunk. I don’t know what I’m thinking._

Cas sends him a text at the same time that says, _I think that would be a terrible idea for maintaining the thinly low profile we currently have. But one day, yes, I would love to go to the Emmys with you._

“Fuck it,” Dean says before hitting the call button.

“How much alcohol have you had?” Cas asks as soon as he answers.

“Just a little. Did I ever tell you I had a drinking problem? Not supposed to drink, but whatever.”

“Uh, Dean, this is probably not the best time to have this conversation. I was invited to the Emmys as well.”

“Huh?” 

“I had a recurring role on _Veep_ last season. I’m not nominated, but the show is.”

“ _Veep?_ What the hell is _Veep?_ Wait, so you want to go with me or not?”

“Dean, we can’t. The rumors it would—” 

“C’mon, man, we could play it off like we’re promoting the movie.” 

Cas deliberately sighs into the phone. “You think it’s a bad idea, too. When you’re sober you’re going to regret this.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“I already told Claire she could be my date.” 

“Oh.” Dean wasn’t expecting that. “Well, uh—it’s cool, Cas. I guess we’ll try some other time.”

“Dean. Wait. I would like that. But when it does happen, I don’t want to have to lie about it. Do you understand?” 

“You’re demanding, you know that? Always asking for stuff.” 

“I can assure you, this isn’t my usual behavior.” Cas laughs quietly into the phone and sarcastically says, “You bring out the worst in me apparently.”

“Yeah, well, I’m asking an alpha dude to be my date to a very public award show, so right back at you." 

“Quit drinking, Dean. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you, Cas.”

When Dean presented as an omega, he started drinking. A lot. He drank to make it through his heats, and he drank to survive school, and he drank when he got his first job and when he got fired from his first job, and he drank whenever the hell he felt like it.

Nowadays, Dean drinks whenever anything gets too complicated. He drinks to cope, he drinks to forget how much he hates himself, he drinks to ignore the world and its blind adoration for him.

He wouldn’t say he’s an alcoholic anymore, but he’s not a saint either. The fact of the matter is that he does stupid shit when he’s drunk, and he really should be more careful.

 _Maybe if Cas really stops smoking, I’ll stop drinking,_ he thinks. He then laughs and erases the thought from his head.

A new thought replaces it, a thought of sitting in a theater wearing a tux and holding Cas’ hand while the camera pans the crowd. Cas probably thinks of that as a likely possibility.

Dean knows better.

 

* * *

 

Castiel sits across from Meg at a high-profile restaurant in West Hollywood. He tries not to breathe in her smoke for fear that he’ll cave and pick up the habit again.

“When do you have to be back?” she asks.

“I don’t have another call until 3. Are you working again yet?”

“Auditions. It’s nice, sitting on my ass and watching porn all day every day. So, how’s Dean?’

“I’m surprised you’ve made it over an hour without mentioning him.”

Meg leans her elbows on the table and smiles mischievously. “You’ve been waiting—just _dying_ to talk about him, haven’t you?” 

“There’s not much to talk about. He stupidly asked me to—”

Meg cuts him off by grabbing the back of his head and reeling him in for a kiss, tongue and all. Cas hasn’t really kissed a whole lot of people in his life, so his natural reaction is just to go for it. Meg pulls away first, her cheeks flushed and her hand over her mouth like she can’t believe that just happened. 

“Um, what—”

“That was a little enthusiastic for a guy off the market, don’t you think?” Meg asks.

“Why did you do that?”

“Couple of guys with cameras hiding in the bushes. Happy to be the trashiest beard you’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.” 

“The what?” Cas doesn’t even bother looking around to spot the paparazzi. He assumes with Meg’s level of fame that they follow her often.

“A beard, Clarence. A fake girlfriend for famous guys who need to keep their boy toys in the closet. Keeps the media on their toes, keeps most people off your back since heterosexuality and monogamy are generally compulsory. You understand?”

“I wouldn’t say that heterosexuality is comp—" 

“In our business it is, kid.”

“Did you just call me ‘kid’?”

“If you don’t fake it, stay along the alpha/omega straight and narrow, you’re unemployed. So, you get yourself a beard and never have to worry about a damn thing. Except, you know, for teenage girls on the Internet crafting theories for why your beard is actually a beard.” 

“There are plenty of gay, lesbian and bisexual actors. I don’t under—”

 _“Plenty?_ Really? There’s, like, five.” Meg lights another cigarette and flips off somebody behind Cas’ head. He hears the click of a camera. 

“So, what now? The media creates some story about the two of us dating, and people stop talking about me and Dean? Does this mean you and I have to go out often?”

“Well, gee, Clarence, I’d hoped you’d want to hang out with me just for me and not because you need me as a human shield. But sure, we can hang out more often.” She smiles and rubs her foot up his shin. “You’re a damn good kisser.”

Cas stares down at his empty plate of food. “Dean’s not going to like this plan.” 

Meg throws her head back and laughs, a cloud of smoke above her head. “No, he definitely isn’t. Which is all the more reason to do it.”

 

* * *

 

Dean’s bed squeaks. He’s been meaning to buy a new frame, but he just hasn’t gotten around to it yet.

Cas is under him, gripping his hips and staring at him in concentration as he tries to match Dean’s rhythm. But Dean is too fast, too hard, and he slams up and down on Cas’ cock until they’re both sweaty, writhing messes.

“What was up with you and Meg in the tabloids, dude?” Dean asks through panted breath, his hands snaking their way up Cas’ chest and to his face.

Cas grabs one of his hands and kisses his palm before returning his focus to Dean’s hips. “She’s my beard.”

“Your what?”

“The paparazzi showed up at lunch, so she kissed me right as they were taking a picture. It apparently keeps people from being suspicious about you and me.”

Dean laughs and fucks up the pace, causing Cas to growl. He apologizes and switches to moving counter clockwise, which pulls a surprised gasp out of Cas. “Right, a beard. Just as long as she doesn’t try any funny business, all right?”

“‘Funny business’? Really, Dean?” 

Dean rolls his eyes. “You going to come any time soon, or should I just go ahead and hop off?”

Cas growls again and digs his fingers into Dean’s skin, yanking him down onto his lap until Dean feels a knot trying to catch at his hole. 

“C’mon, alpha. Do it. Knot me. You know you want to.”

“No,” Cas says through gritted teeth.

“Why not? Come on! Take it!”

“I said _no_ , Dean. Not until—never mind.”

He slows the rhythm, focusing on the way Cas’ cock moves slowly in and out of him. “Not until what?”

“I want to be mated.”

Dean stops. He stares down at Cas and gives one last roll of his hips before he slides off of his cock and lands next to him in bed. 

Surprisingly, Cas wastes no time before his mouth is on Dean’s dick, enveloping him in warm, tight heat and lighting his senses on fire. He can fit most of his cock in his mouth but not all of it, so he wraps a hand around the base and puts just the right amount of pressure on his balls. It feels amazing, but it would be better if Dean had enough strength to arch off the bed and finger himself.

As if he’s reading Dean’s mind, Cas lets go of his cock and snakes his hand between his legs and pushes three fingers in and out in an agonizingly slow rhythm. He gets deeper and deeper until he finds Dean’s prostate, and Dean can’t help but fuck himself back and forth up into Cas’ mouth and then back onto his fingers. He hardly notices when the head of his dick hits the back of Cas’ throat, Cas deep throating him like it’s nothing.

Dean’s orgasm hits him unexpectedly, a soft wave of pleasure that sends a shiver from his head to his toes. It’s quiet and perfect, and Dean yanks Cas up by his hair to get a lazy kiss after. Cas barely has time to swallow before Dean’s mouth is on his. 

The kiss turns into a full-blown make-out, and as the intensity increases Dean instinctively reaches down to grab Cas’ cock.

It’s not hard. There’s no knot.

Dean pulls back and looks Cas in the eye as he asks, “What the fuck, dude?”

“I’m sorry, did I do something wrong?” 

“Um.” Dean deliberately glances down toward Cas’ huge, flaccid cock.

“Dean, quit worrying about me. Just because I’m not—um,  _turned on_ doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying this.” 

Dean drops his arms away from Cas’ body and starts to count on his hand. “You don’t want to knot me, you can’t get it up for me…”

Cas glares at Dean before climbing off of him and reaching over the side of the bed to get his boxers. “If you think I’m not attracted enough to you, then by all means, go pick any of the millions of people who would gladly stay hard for you 24 hours a day.”

“Oh, c’mon, sweetheart, don’t be like that.”

He whips his head around and glares again. “I would love to knot you, Dean. If it actually _meant_ something.” He turns away so that Dean has to stare at his back as he puts on more of his clothes. “And I would love to go to the Emmys with you. If it meant something. The way my penis chooses to respond or not respond to you has nothing to do with how _I_ feel about you.”

“That was beautiful, Cas, you should write poetry.”

“You are infuriating.”

Dean turns over onto his side and paws at Cas’ hip to try to get him to come back. “Please, man, don’t leave. Wanted you to sleep here tonight,” he mumbles.

Cas tenses his shoulders as if he’s thinking about it. “If I ever ask you, will you say yes?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I would.” 

“Has anyone ever asked?”

“Every person I was ever serious with.”

“And you—”

“Said no to every single one.” 

Cas slowly turns his head back around. He looks sad, like he feels sorry for Dean. “You deserve better than me, Dean.”

“Yeah, well, I want you. Flaccid dick and all.” 

Cas finally smiles and huffs a laugh as he looks down at the sheets. “We want such vastly different things. I want a partner, and you want sex.”

“Whoa, hey, slow down there. Who said all I wanted was sex?” 

“Your cock speaks for itself, Dean.”

“That means nothing, Cas. I-I maybe don’t immediately think ‘mate’ when I see you, but that doesn’t mean all I care about here is sex. I’m not a goddamn machine.”

Cas doesn’t say anything.

Dean tugs on his t-shirt. “Hey. C’mon. Come to bed.” 

With a defeated sigh, Cas takes his pants and shirt back off and slides under the covers next to Dean. 

Dean wraps him in his arms and gives his collarbone a reassuring kiss. “I’m sorry I’m an idiot.”

Cas scoots his butt back against Dean’s crotch and covers the hand that’s holding his waist. “I’m sorry my dick doesn’t like you as much as I do.”

Dean’s laugh shakes the bed. It squeaks.

 

* * *

 

Cas straightens his tie and frowns at himself in the mirror. 

“No, not that one,” Claire says as she comes into the room and steps in front of him. “Here.” She pulls off his gray tie and quickly replaces it with a blue-and-white striped one.

“Are you nervous?”

“No, but I know _you_ are. I’ll answer all the questions for you if you want.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Claire finishes tying his tie. “What’re you going to do if you see Dean?”

Cas opens his mouth to respond, but then there’s a loud knock on the door.

He stays back as Claire goes to get it. Meg pushes her way inside and exclaims, “Who the fuck are— _oh,_ you must be Clarence Junior.”

“What?” Claire asks.

“Stellar dress, sweetheart,” Meg says condescendingly, her eyes raking up and down Claire’s floor-length, cream-colored sequin dress that Cas paid an arm and a leg for. 

“Nice pantsuit, Hannah Montana. You our driver?”

Meg raises an eyebrow at Claire before turning to Cas with a huge grin. “I like her.” 

“All right, shall we go?” Cas asks, gesturing toward the door.

Meg and Claire size each other up one more time before they head out to the car. Limo. They’re going to the Emmys in a _limo_ that Jo and Bela are already waiting in.

“Got to make one more stop to pick up my date,” Meg announces as they climb into the back.

“Your date? Who are you—” 

“Meg asked _Benny,”_ Jo interrupts.

“What?” Cas asks.

Meg lights up a cigarette and rolls her eyes. “I thought it would be funny, but the guy’s too nice to actually have any fun.”

“You thought it would be _funny?_ He hates me, Meg,” Cas says angrily. 

“Whoa, hey, chill out. I just wanted to see you and him compare dick lengths at the after party while Dean watches.”

“Excuse you, this is my daughter—”

“Not your daughter. Also, I’m 17." Claire purposely changes the subject by turning to Jo and asking, "So, how are you doing, Jo?” 

“I’m about to go to an award show that I wasn’t invited to with my asshole girlfriend who’s nominated because she blew one of the members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.” Jo squeezes Bela’s knee. “I’m doing _great.”_

 _“Allegedly_ blew him,” Bela adds with a smirk.

Cas grabs the bottle of champagne from the center console and chooses to ignore the completely inappropriate conversations his 17-year-old is engaging in.

Lucky for him, Benny ignores his presence and tries his best to be a good date to Meg. Which is weird. Meg is awful, but she’s also got a soft spot and she’s using all of it on Benny tonight.

Cas is pretty sure they sit in traffic for an absurd amount of time before the driver announces it’s their turn to get out, and it’s only when he’s stepping onto the red carpet amidst a million cameras flashing and people incoherently yelling that he realizes he’s drunk.

“I’m drunk,” he whispers to Claire.

“Yeah, I noticed two glasses ago. Why do you think I’m holding you up? Now smile and wave.”

Cas only stumbles once before getting his arm around Claire’s back to keep himself stabilized. He slaps a ridiculous smile on his face and waves toward the crowds. This is the easy part, weaving through the throngs of people before getting to the _real_ cameras and interviewers.

Of course, when he’s not paying attention to where he’s going he accidentally runs right into Benny’s back.

Benny turns just barely and says gruffly, “Can you please handle your alcohol?” 

“Can you please _shut up_ ,” Cas snaps back.

“Cas!” Claire chastises.

“Boys, play nice,” Meg adds. “You can whip ‘em out later, all right?”

Cas chokes back a laugh as Benny asks what the hell Meg is talking about, and Meg drags him away with some bullshit explanation. Claire slaps Cas hard on the back and tells him to get his shit together.

Unsurprisingly, Meg and Benny and Bela and Jo are swamped with interviews as soon as they get to the long line of Ryan Seacrests. Bela and Meg are far more famous than any of the rest of them, so Cas and Claire are left to walk to the theater on their own. 

“Cas! Castiel Novak! Over here!” 

Without even thinking, Cas gravitates toward the sound of his name and finds himself with a microphone shoved in his face.

“How do you feel about allegations that you’re cheating on Dean Winchester with Meg Masters?”

“OK, not a real interview!” Claire exclaims as she steers Cas away and toward someone who is _actually_ interviewing people for live television.

“Cas Novak, lovely to see you this evening,” the unfamiliar interviewer says.

“You’re not Ryan Seacrest,” he says blankly while squinting at the interviewer.

“He’s kidding,” Claire cuts in. “We’re very excited to be here this evening celebrating _Veep’_ s success.”

“Well, aren’t you sweet. Who are you wearing?”

“Sales rack at Nordstrom," she lies. "I’m Cas’ stepdaughter Claire, so I’m not really anybody.” 

“That’s not true,” Cas says. “Claire is my date tonight, and I can assure you that dress was _not_ on sale.”

“Stepdaughter, huh? So much mystery surrounds your personal life, Castiel. Is there a secret marriage you’d like to tell us about?” The interviewer smiles mischievously as he shoves the microphone in Cas’ face. Cas thinks he might be teasing him because he knows he’s drunk.

“Yes, I have a secret family that I hide in my basement,” Cas deadpans. “I only let one of them out per award show. Claire won the lottery tonight.”

Claire squeezes his arm enough to bruise it. “What he means to say is that he has no private life, which is why it seems so mysterious.”

“Oh, really? So the rumors about you and Meg Masters are unfounded, then?”

Cas fake laughs and resists asking what the hell kind of unprofessional interview this is. _National television, Cas._ “Meg could probably answer that better than I could, why don’t you ask her?”

“Don’t worry, we already have. So why didn’t you two come together tonight?”

“I’m sorry, don’t you want to ask me about who I’m wearing? Or maybe about my upcoming Carver Edlund movie? How is my—”

“Ah yes, _Bright Atlanta._ Let’s talk about that. Is it difficult for you to play a gay character and have sex scenes with Dean Winchester?”

Cas postures and pushes the microphone back at the interviewer’s face before stomping away. Claire follows closely behind after saying something to the interviewer that will hopefully clean up the mess Cas just made.

“Let’s get the fuck inside,” Claire says angrily, grabbing Cas by the hand and dragging him toward the theater. “You better hope that wasn’t actually televised." 

“I’m not famous enough to be televised.”

“You _will_ be after tonight if you keep acting like this.” 

They make it to their seats without further incident. Cas is relieved to be sitting behind the rest of the cast and crew of _Veep_ so he hopefully won’t end up on camera when they show their nominations. He greets the people around him and by the time the lights go down and the applause begins, he realizes he’s sobered up.

Neil Patrick Harris steps on stage and Cas swallows a laugh before he’s even begun his monologue.

“What?” Claire whispers.

“Nothing, it’s just that Dean hates him. I forgot he was hosting.”

“You and Dean are gross.”

Tony Hale turns around and gives them both a strange look.

Cas shakes his head at Claire, but she just shrugs in innocence.

They both turn their attention back to the stage. Cas is shocked to see Dean’s face up on the screen.

“Speaking of gay romance: Dean Winchester. Stay tuned for next year’s Academy Awards when yet another straight actor will win for portraying a gay character,” Neil Patrick Harris says bitterly while Dean laughs nervously up on the big screen. “But it’s OK because plenty of gay actors have won awards for playing straight characters, right?”

Dean laughs harder and mouths, “Sorry,” to Neil. Cas wonders how the hell they convinced Dean to be part of the opening monologue. 

“His date is Anna Milton,” Claire whispers.

“Yes, they’re friends.”

“They used to fuck. Do you think they still…?”

“I think you need to watch your language.”

Tony Hale turns again. Cas squints at him and considers posturing. Again.

Halfway through the show, Dean walks on stage by himself to present one of the awards. He reads the teleprompter perfectly, making a self-deprecating joke about his “violent tendencies.” Right before he reads off the nominees, he scans the crowd and locks his eyes on Cas. He winks as he continues speaking. Claire nearly crushes Cas’ fingers as she squeezes his hand.

“That was strange,” Cas whispers to Claire.

“What?”

“I was expecting him to panic and mess up.”

“Wow, you really think highly of him." 

“Or I know him really well.” 

“Yeah, but you don’t know his stage persona. He’s really confident during interviews.” 

Cas actually does posture when Tony Hale turns around this time.

 

* * *

 

“Are you doing OK?” Anna whispers, squeezing Dean’s knee. 

“Yeah, I’m great.” He reassures her with a kiss to her temple. “I’d missed you, I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“I’m glad you invited me.” She leans closer to his ear and says very quietly, “I can’t wait to meet Cas.”

Dean blushes and fights back a smile. “Hopefully you will at the after party.”

Dean zones out toward the end of the show, refusing to feel bad for not paying attention to Neil Patrick Harris. He already did his part at the beginning—he can only fake it for so long.

When the show is finally over and they’re released for the evening, Dean suddenly feels very nervous. He holds Anna’s hand all the way out to the limo, but once inside he shoots a text to Cas.

 _The plan is still to go to Ellen’s party, right?_

_Yes, but I heard NPH will be there, too. Do you think you can handle that?_

_Fuck off._

_I’ll see you soon, Dean._

Ellen DeGeneres’ house is swamped with people by the time they arrive. Dean and Anna are stopped 10 times before they find anybody from the _Bright Atlanta_ cast. After greeting Jo and begrudgingly congratulating Bela on her win, Dean spots Claire Novak across the room talking to Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

He doesn’t hesitate to walk over to them and say, “Excuse me, I’m sorry. Claire, is your stepdad around here somewhere?”

Claire raises an eyebrow at him and puts her hand on her hip. “Nice to see you, too, Winchester. Last I saw, he was on the back porch with the smokers.”

Dean thanks her and smiles apologetically at Julia Louis-Dreyfus before heading off toward the back door. He stops in the kitchen to grab himself a drink, and he goes ahead and makes it stronger than it really needs to be.

Surprisingly, Cas is not smoking himself, but he’s sitting in a rocking chair looking relaxed and a bit drunk as people around him laugh and smoke. 

“Dean! We were just talking about you,” Cas greets, and yeah, he’s definitely drunk.

“Yeah? Good stuff, I hope.”

“We were saying how different your public persona is,” Cas slurs. “You’re all suave and confident.”

“Is that, uh, not how I am in real life?” Dean takes a seat in the chair next to Cas’ and downs half his drink. 

“You’re a bit of an asshole in real life,” Meg pipes up.

“And _I_ was saying you’re more of a softy,” Benny adds after rolling his eyes at Meg.

“Sounds to me like you guys are all obsessed with me.” 

A couple of women Dean doesn’t recognize smile shyly and look down at their drinks. If this were a decade ago, he probably would’ve tried to take them both home.

Cas notices him staring and hits him in the shoulder to get his attention. Dean turns to him, but all Cas does is tilt his head and look at him curiously.

Everybody else continues talking while Cas and Dean just stare at each other, and by the time Dean rejoins the conversation there’s a goddamn bong being passed around.

Dean takes a hit without even thinking about it, but then he immediately regrets it when Cas refuses. He finishes the rest of his drink and announces that he’s going to get another, and then he runs into Ellen in the kitchen and she makes him take two shots with her. By the time he gets back outside, he’s feeling buzzed enough to think it’s a good idea to take a few more hits.

Everything starts to get fuzzy and distant, and when Cas announces that he’s going to the bathroom Dean says he’s going to get another drink.

He doesn’t go get another drink. He follows Cas instead. 

“Dean, what are you—”

Dean cuts him off by slamming the door behind them and shoving Cas into the nearest wall for a kiss. He pulls away after a minute and says, “Wish I had sat next to you during that shitshow.” 

“Maybe one day,” Cas breathes before pulling their mouths together again and biting hungrily at Dean’s bottom lip. He sets a bruising pace, and it’s a drunken mess but Dean gets hard anyway.

“Come home with me tonight.”

“I have to take Claire home.”

“You took a limo with people, right? She’ll be fine.”

“You have Anna.” 

 _“Ugh.”_ Dean knocks his forehead against Cas’. They stand in silence for a moment breathing each other in.

“You look very handsome tonight, by the way,” Cas whispers. 

“Gross, don’t say shit like that to me.”

“OK. You look terrible.”

“Thank you.”

They forget to come out of the bathroom separately.

Neil Patrick Fucking Harris is standing outside the door, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide as he stares at the two of them. 

Protective instincts kicking in, Dean steps up to the alpha and growls, “You say a goddamn word, and I—" 

It’s all Dean remembers before he hits the floor.

 

* * *

 

“Dean? Dean!” Cas grabs Dean’s face in his hands and then frantically reaches for his wrist to check his pulse.

“Is anyone in here a doctor?” Neil shouts, but Cas barely hears him.

“Pulse is accelerated, body not responding to stimuli,” Cas mumbles to himself. He wracks his brain for an explanation, but he’s too inebriated to think straight.

“Seriously, a doctor! We need a doctor over here!” Neil continues shouting.

“Cas! Cas Novak is a doctor!” Claire shouts back, and she sounds far away.

Neil bends down and asks, “You’re a doctor? Do you know what’s wrong with him?”

“All due respect, Mr. Harris, but I can take care of my boyfriend myself.”

Claire is suddenly there, shoving Neil out of the way and sounding relieved when she sees that Cas is already at Dean’s side.

“I believe it’s the medication he’s on,” Cas announces to Claire as if she’s his assistant. “Some heavy suppressants don’t react well to a combination of drugs and alcohol. It’s possible he unknowingly created a hormone imbalance that put him in an alpha-like state that his body is not equipped to maintain for an extended period of time.”

“Cas,” Claire says seriously as if she’s trying to get his attention.

Cas snaps his eyes up to her. She gestures her head toward the growing crowd around them. 

“You might want to stop before you say something even more idiotic.” 

Cas nods and scoops Dean up in his arms as he stands. “Excuse me,” he says, using his alpha voice to get everyone to move out of the way.

Anna Milton is the only one to follow them out to the limo, and she turns out to be levelheaded and helpful on the way to the hospital. Cas still feels way too drunk to handle this situation, so he’s grateful for her presence and tells her as such.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Cas. Especially before you get super famous.” 

“I hardly think _Bright Atlanta_ is going to make—”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Cas turns and finds a worried look on Anna’s face.

“You might go down in history as the person who outed Dean Winchester.”


	19. Chapter 19

When Dean wakes up, his head feels like it weighs a hundred pounds. The room is spinning and it’s too bright, and he has no idea where he is or how long he’s been out.

“You’re in the hospital, Dean.” 

“Cas?” 

“I’m over here.”

Dean tries to lift his head, but it’s too hard so he just whines and blindly reaches his hand out.

“I can’t get too close.”

“What?”

“The door is locked now, but there are reporters outside. The hospital staff is attempting to make them go away.”

Dean groans dramatically and squirms in the hospital bed. “Can I do _anything_ without this kind of shit happening?”

“Perhaps if you didn’t forget about your suppressants and cause a negative hormonal reaction, then yes. But until then—”

“OK, I get it, asshole. Did you at least punch Doogie in the face for me?”

“I unfortunately was too busy panicking over my boyfriend to care about your petty feud with a man who’s never publicly said a bad word about you or anybody else for that matter.”

Dean doesn’t respond.

“There...were a lot of people at that party, Dean.”

“So?”

“They could’ve heard me talking about your condition. They also saw me carry you out in my arms, and none of them know that I was once a doctor.”

Dean tries to process all of that information and can’t figure out how exactly the media will misconstrue it. He thinks maybe he should be mad at Cas, but for some reason Cas sounds mad at him, and his head is still too heavy to try to sort it all out. 

“I have got to stop going to parties.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“When can I get out of here?”

“We can ask the nurse next time she returns, but in my medical opinion you only need to stay another hour at most.”

Dean groans again and closes his eyes. 

“Are you all right, Dean?”

“Yeah, dude. Just apparently turned on by you being a doctor.”

Cas laughs and starts to say something, but the door opens and the sound of the crowd outside drowns him out. The nurse shuts the door behind her and rolls her eyes as she approaches Dean’s bed.

“How are you feeling, Mr. Winchester?”

“Like my head is full of rocks.”

“That’s good. That’ll go away soon. Now, do I need to go over the idiotic things you did to land yourself in this mess?”

Cas cuts in, “That won’t be necessary, Pamela. I think he’s learned his lesson.”

She smiles condescendingly down at Dean. “Good. Your boyfriend here already gave me the rundown about how private you are and how nobody can know about your gender designation blah blah fame has skewed your worldview and all that. My lips are sealed mostly because I couldn’t give two shits about it.”

Dean darts his eyes back and forth between Pamela and Cas, trying to think of a comeback for whatever that just was.

“Thank you again, Pamela,” Cas says eventually, getting out of his chair and shaking her hand way too professionally. “We’ll be out of your hair shortly, and we’ll take the rest of the people with us.”

“You better, Dr. Novak. And keep a leash on that boy, OK?” She smacks his ass with her clipboard on her way out. 

“Are you OK?” Cas asks once Pamela is gone.

Dean shifts awkwardly and wrings his hands in his lap. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” 

“Dean,” Cas says seriously like he’s a disappointed parent about to give his kid a lecture. 

“I just have a boner, all right? She called you _doctor,_ and I just…”

Cas puffs out his chest and exhales loudly, almost instinctively. Like he’s about to let his alpha take over. “I’ll dig some of my scrubs out of my closet before we sleep together again.”

Dean's headache gets to be too much after that, and he falls back asleep. When he wakes up, he feels way better and a lot more comfortable. He looks around for five seconds before wondering how the hell he got home to his own room.

"I can't believe you didn't wake up when I wheeled you past all the reporters," Cas says as he takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Did you carry me here?"

"I might have, yes."

"Dude, what the fuck happened at the party?"

Cas avoids making eye contact with Dean. "When we were walking out of the hospital, the things the reporters were shouting...Dean, they were asking if it's true that you're an omega and that you and I are secretly mated."

 _"What?_ Seriously, what happened at the party?"

"I called you my boyfriend, and I said that your body was reacting negatively to being thrust into an alpha-like state."

Dean drops his head back against his pillow and says, "Christ, Cas."

"You have to understand, Dean, I want you to be able to come out on your own terms. I would hate to be the one to 'out' you to the world before you're ready."

"Before I'm ready? Jesus, Cas, don't you know that I'll _never_ be ready? Me 'coming out' is never going to be a thing. It's not going to happen. So let the media do whatever they want with the limited information they have because I don't care."

Cas turns away from Dean and clenches his jaw. He doesn't say anything.

"You knew what you were getting into with me, Cas," Dean says more gently. 

Cas raises an eyebrow and looks down at his lap. "You might be able to lead a false life forever, Dean, but I can't and certainly don't want to. You change your mind so often that I had started to believe we might, uh...I don't know, I'm not exactly an expert at knowing what's going through your head. Two hours ago you were fine, and now you're telling me you're just going to ignore the backlash that's happening _right now,_ and you and I will never be—we'll never..."

Dean sighs. He can't think straight. "I can't do this, man." 

When Cas raises his head and looks into Dean's eyes, Dean immediately regrets what he's said. But it's too late.

"You are a child, Dean."

He gets up and walks out without another word.

 

* * *

 

Cas doesn't even see Dean at work on Monday.

 

* * *

 

"You all right, brother?"

"Hmm?"

Benny waves a hand in front of Dean's face and asks, "You even here right now?"

"I'm sorry, man, it was just a, uh, long weekend." Dean presses a towel to his face to take his makeup off.

"You know, Dean, I've known since day one."

"The hell you talking about?"

Benny tilts his head patronizingly, but when he speaks it's with sympathy. "Nobody's going to bat an eye when the news claims you're an omega. It's not as big of a deal as you think it is, Dean."

Dean narrows his eyes at Benny. "Yeah, what do you know? Huh? You're an alpha. You have no idea what it's like."

"No, I don't." Benny looks around Dean's trailer as if he's lost. "But I know you're hurting for no reason, and I suspect Cas Novak's got something to do with it."

Dean doesn't answer.

"You know I hate the guy, but...I don't know, you're different since you've been with him. Relaxed and sure of yourself, like you're invincible. I don't want to see you lose that just because of one screw up that's not even that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things."

"It's not that simple, Benny."

"Well, even if it's not, I can't stand watching you and Novak mope around while the media makes a frenzy of you. Can you at least pretend like you listened to a word I just said?"

"Yeah. I'll think about it."

Benny nods and pats Dean on the shoulder before leaving his trailer. It's not really a surprise that Benny knew about his gender designation. He's been protective since the first read through, and he's not exactly subtle about it. Even so, it still scares the shit out of Dean. He's not used to exposing himself and letting people in this much. The more it happens, the more inclined he is to act like everything is fine. He didn't even realize it until Cas pointed it out to him, but he's definitely been acting so levelheaded about all the press and attention because it's his last-ditch defense against revealing the truth about himself. It's been so damn long since he could just be himself around the people he loves and in public that the thought makes him sick to his stomach.

And yeah, maybe Benny's got a point about Cas. He makes Dean feel safe, protected, like nobody will ever know anything about him as long as Cas is there to keep everybody away.

 _I want you to be able to come out on your own terms._ Maybe that's what terrifies Dean the most. 

He doesn't want to come out on his own terms. He wants to depend on Cas to take the lead and keep his secrets safe and maybe reveal them to the world even if it is by accident. 

"Shit," Dean curses.

He's unknowingly put so much pressure on Cas to take care of him.

Dean's officially done the one thing he promised himself he'd never do.

He's become an omega that's completely dependent on their alpha.

And Cas isn't even technically _his_ alpha.

 

* * *

 

“Don’t tell your mother,” is all Cas says after agreeing to play a drinking game with Claire where they watch trashy Hollywood news shows and drink every time Dean is brought up. They drink twice if Dean and Cas are brought up together.

"So are you really broken up?" Claire asks while both of them are still sober.

"We haven't spoken to each other in a week. Crewmembers are asking questions, and Chuck is concerned about our performances."

"Why are you talking about this so mechanically? I know it's bothering the hell out of you, so what gives?"

Cas shrugs and lets out a sigh. "I'm tired, Claire. I'm tired of being in love with Dean Winchester."

"In love? Really?"

Cas takes a long drink in response. 

"No, seriously, really?"

"It's something like that. I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure? It seems like something pretty big to not be sure of."

"I don't know, Claire, I'm just not sure."

They sit in silence after that, eventually refocusing back on the television and slipping under the spell of mindless entertainment. 

“I’m drunk,” Cas says after the first hour. The lady on TV has just said that filming was held up for a week because of Dean’s hospital visit.

“Fuck that, you didn’t even get a day off,” Claire complains as she finishes her beer.

“They’re just upset because we didn’t give them anything real to talk about.”

“They know you were in the hospital with him.”

“That last show suspected I _operated_ on him. And that I’m now in legal trouble because my medical license was revoked years ago. I feel like a moron.”

"What? Why?"

Cas runs a hand down his face. "I panicked and blew everything out of proportion, and I lost Dean over it."

"You didn't _lose_ Dean. C'mon, you really think this break-up is permanent?"

"If Dean insists on keeping our relationship a secret for the rest of our lives, then yes, it's permanent. I just should've approached the situation differently, but I honestly thought...I thought I had ruined everything, that I had outed him. And us."

Claire says nothing as she flips through the channels. She lands on a story about the “great feud” between Dean Winchester and Neil Patrick Harris. 

 _“…Probably harbors a lot of resentment because Neil allegedly stole his role in_ Starship Troopers _back in ’97. But after the Emmy fiasco, could the resentment be mutual?”_

“They’ve actually got that one pretty spot-on,” Cas begrudgingly mumbles. He takes another drink.

“Do you think after this movie comes out you’ll be super famous?”

“It’s possible. My agent certainly hopes so.”

“I hope the movie does well. But, like, I don’t want you to be super famous. That would be annoying.”

Cas thinks back on all the times he’s been with Dean and had to deal with throngs of people staring and snapping pictures and trying to get interviews. “Agreed,” he answers.

He's just about to lament about Dean some more when the host of some news show Cas doesn't know the name of announces that they have a special guest to talk about what _really_ happened at the Emmys.

Suddenly Dean is on screen looking nervous and way too smiley, and it's both his real personality and his stage persona meshing into one and even in his drunken state Cas' heart sinks at the sight of him.

"Oh, shit," Claire breathes as she turns the volume up.

"Dean, thank you for taking time out of your film schedule to come and talk to us. How are you feeling after your hospital visit?" the host asks.

"I'm feeling great, Garth, thanks. I'm actually glad you brought that up, it's something I want to talk about."

"Yes, Dean, it would be great if you could tell us about the events that led up to that. As you know, the rumors are—"

"They're pretty ridiculous, I know," Dean interrupts with a fake laugh. "That's why I'm here. I'd like to go on record and clear my name." He looks directly into the camera and doesn't continue immediately.

"Oh no," Cas whispers.

"The reason why I, uh, was in the hospital after the Emmys...is because I experienced a hormone imbalance from mixing my suppressants with other stimulants."

"That's not exactly—"

"Shut the fuck up, Cas!"

"Suppressants?" Garth asks. "What do you mean by 'suppressants'?"

Dean swallows and momentarily looks away from the camera. "I-I mean my suppressants that I take to make me seem like a beta. Uh, because I'm actually an omega."


	20. Chapter 20

Cas feels his phone buzzing furiously in his pocket, but his eyes are glued to the television. His lips are pressed tightly together, and the room is spinning wildly.

"Am I drunk hallucinating or did—"

"Dean just came out on national television," Claire says as if she's in a trance.

"He didn't mention me, did he? He's not mentioning me."

"Wow, arrogant much? No, he just said he's an omega. Nothing else."

Cas pops the cap off another beer and drinks the whole thing in three seconds.

"Cas, those aren't even twist caps. How did you—"

"I have to go." Cas stands and trips on the coffee table and fumbles with his phone as he heads toward his room.

The first text he opens is from Sam.

_Did he tell you he was going to do this? He didn't fucking tell me._

He quickly types back,  _We haven't spoken in a week. Kind of broken up right now. Call you soon._

He has two missed calls from Balthazar, which is absurd because Cas denied his allegations about him and Dean last time they spoke. He doesn't call him back.

Charlie and Jo texted him incoherent messages, so he texts back a string of question marks. Meg's text is so inappropriate that he goes ahead and deletes it immediately.

He takes a deep breath and opens a new message. It only takes him a second to decide what he wants to say.

 

* * *

 

Dean's hands are shaking, but he hasn't had a full-on panic attack yet so that's a good sign. Garth is very kind to him once the cameras shut off, and it makes him feel marginally calmer. He's pretty sure the dude's an omega himself.

Whatever. It's over, and now he can just move forward and forget about it. Or the rest of his life is going to be a living hell, and this was just the beginning.

He wrings his hands while walking back to the dressing room. Luckily he doesn't walk past any curious crewmembers. He quickly grabs his phone and wallet and slides on a $5 pair of sunglasses he bought on his way in. It's dark outside already, but at least he'll look calm and collected in all the pictures bound to be taken on his way out.

Outside the studio there are more reporters than he's ever seen in his life. He briefly wonders what the hell possessed him to come out on a _live_ TV show. The sunglasses prove useful for shielding his eyes from the hundreds of camera flashes. The din of the crowd is so overwhelming that there is no way to discern one voice from another or try to figure out what anyone is saying. Probably a good thing. He really doesn't want to know what kind of bullshit questions the media has for him now. 

Knowing the inevitable, Dean decided not to drive his own car to the studio. As soon as he's inside the back of a cab and the noise dies down behind him, he pulls out his phone. There are three texts from Sam.

_Dude._

_Are you OK?_

_Call me._

With a heavy sigh, Dean texts back,  _Fine. I'll call you when I get a minute._

His phone buzzes then, and he doesn't even check who it's from before he opens it.

_I'm proud of you._

He stares at the name for at least 30 seconds before he processes that it's _Cas._   _  
_

Resisting the urge to call him immediately, he pockets his phone and considers making small talk with the driver. Nothing comes to mind, though, so he sits in silence and allows his thoughts to run wild until he really is on the edge of a panic attack. 

"That was real brave of you back there."

"Huh?"

Dean looks up in the rearview mirror and comes back down to reality. 

"Revealing that about yourself," the cab driver continues. "It's a huge deal for the omega community, Mr. Winchester."

"Uh, I guess. Yeah. Thanks. Just-just out of curiosity, how'd you hear about it so fast?"

"Got an omega son. He texted me, freaking out about one of his favorite actors being an omega." The driver laughs and shakes his head. "My son's wanted to be a football player since he was old enough to throw a ball. Big and strong and fast enough for it, too, but never tried out for the team. He just told me he's trying out next year, Mr. Winchester."

Dean is rendered speechless.

"You've done something real good, Mr. Winchester. Real good."

 

* * *

 

Cas goes back to the living room immediately after sending the text. It's not like's expecting a reply from Dean, so there's no point sitting around staring at his phone.

"Did you talk to him?" Claire asks, shoving another beer into Cas' hand as he sits down next to her on the couch.

"I sent him a text."

"Cas? You all right?"

He stares at the TV, beer clenched in his fist.

"Seriously, Cas—"

His phone rings. He stares down at the name on the screen and doesn't do anything as it continues to ring over and over.

Claire steals the phone and says into the receiver, "Cas' phone, Claire speaking. Yeah. Yeah, he's right here. No, I know. Geez, calm down. OK, I'm going to put him on but I can't promise that he's actually capable of talking. Yeah. OK."

Claire shoves the phone to his ear and gestures for him to get on with it. 

"Cas? You there?" 

"Yes, Dean, I'm here."

"Uh..."

Cas waits. Claire examines her nails.

"Um, I got your text."

"Is that why you're calling?"

"I didn't do that for you, you know."

"Mmm."

"OK, fine, it was kind of for you." Dean clears his throat. "But—I don't know, there was this cab driver with a son who, um. He's an omega, and apparently I-I helped him out, you know? Wants to try out for the football team because of me."

"What?"

"Point is, Cas, I might've done that for you, yeah, but it was probably the right thing to do anyway. So even if you don't want to...pick up where we left off, I won't regret it."

"Dean, who said I wouldn't want to pick up where we left off?"

Claire sits up on the couch, her eyes wide.

"You mean it, Cas?"

"Yes. Under one condition."

"If you say we have to get mated, man—"

"We keep our relationship a secret."

 

* * *

 

It's quiet when Dean gets home. Sometimes his house feels so quiet it's like a barrier separating him from the rest of the world. Tonight, he's grateful for it.

The following day is a day off, but Dean decides to turn in early anyway. He doesn't feel like returning phone calls and sorting everything out with Crowley and dealing with more press, so instead he's just going to go right to sleep and worry about it in the morning.

A few hours after he's gone to bed, he's jerked awake by the weight of a second body climbing into his bed.

Before he has time to panic, Cas whispers, "It's just me, Dean."

"How did you..."

"I have a key, remember?" Cas presses up against Dean's back and wraps a protective arm around his midsection.

"What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Oh."

He kisses the shell of Dean's ear and says in an impossibly low tone, "So goddamn proud of you."

Dean falls back asleep with a goofy smile on his face.

When he wakes up in the morning, he rolls over to find Cas lying on his stomach with his face smashed into the pillow. He elects not to wake him up and instead pads out to the kitchen in his pajamas to make some coffee. 

He's downed a whole pot and is cooking crepes on the stove when Cas finally walks in and curls up behind him. 

"What're you making?" Cas mumbles into his shoulder as he pushes a hand up under Dean's t-shirt and scratches his belly.

"Crepes. Didn't have any syrup for pancakes, but I have Nutella and peanut butter so I thought this would be better. They'll be done in a minute. Coffee's on."

Cas kisses his neck and squeezes his waist. "I missed you this week."

Dean clears his throat. "I, uh, um—yeah."

"Do you want to talk?"

"Over breakfast, yeah. Hard to focus when you're..."

Cas laughs and runs a hand over Dean's boner before letting him go. Dean turns enough to see him head over to the coffee pot with a loud yawn.

"What time did you get here last night?"

"Around 3. I had to wait until I sobered up a bit."

"You were drunk last night?"

"Claire and I might've been playing a drinking game when you showed up on our TV."

Dean laughs for the first time since his interview yesterday, and it makes Cas laugh, too. Dean plates the final crepe and joins Cas at the kitchen counter. They drink their coffee and put toppings on their crepes in silence.

"Did you do this for me?" Cas asks quietly.

"What? The crepes? I told you, man, I—"

"No, not the crepes, Dean. Coming out. Did you do it just to appease me?"

Dean takes a particularly large bite of food and stares at Cas.

"I'm assuming that's a 'no.'"

"I, uh, yeah. It wasn't to _appease_ you. I don't know, man, you just got me thinking. And-and it's not like I thought you were going to immediately call me or anything. I didn't do it for..." he gestures between the two of them, "You know, _this."_

"You did it for yourself."

"If you want to put it that way, sure. Let's go with that." He shoves half a crepe in his mouth.

"Well, in any case, I'm glad you did it."

"So, what now? We keep doing what we're doing? Secretly?"

Cas smiles sheepishly. "Yes, I think that will be fine."

They go back to bed after breakfast. Apparently even Cas has a penchant for makeup sex, so it's well into the afternoon before they emerge from the bedroom again.

Dean is searching through the fridge when he hears the TV turn on in the living room.

"Dude, turn that—"

"I want to hear what they're saying about you," Cas shouts back.

Dean sighs and grabs two cans of soda out of the fridge. He tosses one at Cas and sits down next to him on the couch.

"The _news?_ You think they're going to talk about me on fucking CNN?"

_"And today in entertainment, Dean Winchester revealed his gender designation. To the surprise of many, the rumors were true and Dean confirmed that he is an omega."_

Cas turns to give Dean a cocky look. 

"The rumors were true? This is a professional news program, why the hell are they talking like a magazine?"

Cas turns the volume up to drown Dean out.

_"...After the Emmy fiasco. Actors who have worked with Winchester are coming forward in support of him, saying how incredibly brave it was of him to make this announcement at the climax of his career. However, others are calling it a publicity stunt in order to reach a wider audience. In any case, it's a big deal for the omega community at large."_

"Why do they keep saying that? 'Omega community' like I have anything to do with the 'omega community' besides exist."

"I hardly think all you do is exist. Perhaps if you had a higher opinion of yourself, you would—"

"Pot and kettle, Cas."

 

* * *

 

Cas stays at Dean's house through dinner. They order Chinese takeout and put Sam on speakerphone while they eat. He's in an annoyingly good mood and asks them seven times when they're getting mated.

"He was in rare form," Cas comments after they hang up.

"Yeah, he gets like that sometimes. I have to call Crowley. You going to be all right?"

"Of course."

Dean doesn't leave the couch to make his call, but he does turn his phone off speaker. Cas pulls out his own phone for the first time all day and is unsurprised to find six texts from Claire.

_A NOTE??? You left a handwritten NOTE to tell me you're going to Dean's house in the middle of the damn night???_

_Cas._

_CAS._

_OK you know what I don't even want to know why you're not responding_

_But like can you tell me if you're alive at least_

_Cas_

Cas sighs and texts her back.

_I'm still at Dean's house. We're back together. Please calm down._

She texts back almost immediately.

_Knew it._

He rolls his eyes and puts his phone on the coffee table. He should probably call Hannah, but he's really not in the mood. Dean is speaking very loudly to Crowley, but luckily he doesn't sound upset. At one point he turns to look at Cas and gives him a wink before turning back toward the muted TV.

Cas grabs his phone and texts Claire again.

_In the future, remind me not to break up with him._

 

* * *

 

Despite his protests, Dean convinces Cas to stay with him one more night. Cas wakes up at the ass crack of dawn to drive back to his own house before they have to go to work, but Dean thinks it was totally worth it. He feels rested and calm and ready to face whatever waits for him on set.

What he's not expecting is for everyone to act completely normal. Sure, a few people congratulate him or shake his hand on his way in, but overall nobody seems to care all that much about Dean's gender designation. Around lunchtime he begins to panic, wondering if everyone has secretly known all along and just never said anything to him. As they eat, Cas asks him a hundred times if he's all right until finally Dean snaps at him and storms out of the catering tent.

It's not Cas but Lisa who finds him stewing in his trailer five minutes later.

"You're freaking out because nobody's freaking out," Lisa says by way of greeting as she takes a seat across from Dean.

"Did everyone know already?"

"No. Not that I know of. How did you expect people to respond?"

"I don't know. Something! You know, dirty looks. Unwanted stares. Some knothead like Gordon coming onto me. Hell, Gabriel hasn't even made a joke about it. Am I in the fucking _Twilight Zone?"_

"Or maybe people are better than what you give them credit for. Quit expecting people to treat you the way you treat yourself, Dean."

"Thanks, Dr. Phil. I'll keep that in mind when I can't find work after this."

Lisa takes a deep breath and momentarily closes her eyes. It's the same thing she does right before lecturing Ben. "You're going to be fine. You and Cas should come over to my house sometime this week, take your mind off all of this. Does that sound good to you?"

Dean nods and avoids making eye contact with her.

She starts to leave but then turns back around before she gets to the door. "You know, I think you did the right thing. I'm proud of you for it."

"You and Cas ganging up on me now?"

"What?"

He waves her off. "Nothing."

During his call for the rest of the day, he notices that Chuck seems a lot more relaxed than usual. His hands aren't shaking and there isn't a stutter in his voice. Dean briefly entertains the idea that he's stoned. 

It's not until Chuck approaches him at the end of the day that Dean remembers he's an omega himself.

"Dean, I want you to know that I'm really enjoying working with you, and I would love to have you on any of my future projects," Chuck says quietly as he shakes Dean's hand. "I'll even continue to typecast you in super masculine alpha roles if you want."

"Thanks, Chuck," Dean says with a laugh. "Is this like a kindred spirit thing or something?"

"I don't know, I just think omegas should stick together. Help each other out. It's not always easy for us."

"You seem to be doing all right for yourself."

"It took a _long_ time. A long, long time. Anyway, nice work today." Chuck pats him on the back before walking away.

Dean thinks about his offer for a few minutes and realizes that he doesn't really want to play knothead alphas anymore. 

 

* * *

 

A few weeks go by, and life returns to as normal as it's ever going to be. Cas sees less of Dean than he'd like to on account of Dean going on a variety of talk shows to discuss his coming out. Despite the fact that it was Cas' idea to keep their relationship a secret, he still feels a pang of annoyance every time Dean asserts that he's still straight. Cas decides to blame the interviewers for his annoyance. They ask stupid questions.

Sometimes they ask about Cas, too, usually right after they've confirmed that Dean is single. Cas can see Dean get a little fidgety when his name is brought up, but it's so subtle that hopefully nobody else will catch on.

"We're really good friends," Dean keeps saying. "And we're filming a movie where we have to be, you know, _really_ close. Of course there are going to be rumors."

One time an interviewer asked Dean if it was hard playing an alpha with an actual alpha playing an omega, and Dean adopted a mean expression and responded, "Have you seen _any_ of my movies?" 

Cas gave him a blow job the second he saw him after that one.

Other than that, they lay low for a while, Cas always going to Dean’s house so that nobody spots the Impala and follows it. (Cas tells Dean on a weekly basis to get rid of his ridiculously obvious car. Dean laughs in his face every time.) Cas is spotted and recognized a couple of times while he’s with Meg, and they give vaguely affirmative answers whenever fans ask if they’re together. Meg thinks the entire thing is a “big hoot.” 

Castiel isn’t sure yet how to deal with it all. He's already feeling antsy to tell the truth, but he knows that secrecy is the best way to keep Dean calm during all of these changes. He cares more about Dean's reputation than his own, which is why he asked for this arrangement in the first place. He wanted to take pressure off of Dean, to let him know that it's acceptable not to reveal everything to the public all at once. Dean, for the most part, seems just fine with their arrangement.

They never discuss mating, and Dean stops asking Cas to knot him.

With two months left in filming, Cas asks Claire if she would like to play hooky from school in order to visit the studio with him.

Unsurprisingly, she’s way more popular than Castiel has ever been with the cast and crew. Charlie and Jo steal her away from Cas and introduce her to everyone, and by the time they meet up at lunch there’s a group of about 10 of them in the catering tent.

“She’s so much cooler than you, dude,” Dean comments.

They both stand with their plates of food in hand, staring across the tent at Claire.

Dean eventually nudges Cas’ arm with his elbow. “C’mon, sit with me.”

Cas nods and blindly follows. They end up at a secluded table where nobody bothers them. Castiel’s never really thought about it before, but he and Dean eat lunch together alone most days while the majority of the cast and crew eat in larger groups. He wonders how many people suspect they’re dating or just think they’re stuck-up.

“Well, that’s weird,” Dean says toward the end of lunch, looking past Cas with a focused stare.

Cas turns to see Claire sitting next to Lisa and talking animatedly. “Yes, that’s somewhat weird.”

They continue to stare until Claire notices them, and then they both suspiciously turn away. Claire walks up to them moments later.

“I’m babysitting Ben this weekend,” she says.

“What?” Cas and Dean ask at the same time.

“You guys are welcome to join me if you want. When was the last time you even hung out with Lisa?”

Dean shrugs at Cas and then answers, “Couple weeks ago. We had dinner with her and Ben.”

“Did you know she thinks you guys are mated?”

“What?” they ask in unison again.

“Um, the whole speaking at the same time thing really isn’t helping how shocked you both look right now. It really wouldn’t be news, fellas.”

Dean sputters and tries to speak, and all Cas manages to say is, “Why are you calling us ‘fellas’?”

“Christ, you two are a wreck. I don’t know if you’ve taken a whiff of each other lately, but you definitely smell mated. There’s already like 20 fanfics about it, so you should probably figure that out.”

“What the hell do you—”

“Just forget it. Anyway, Cas, I’m going to hang out with Missouri this afternoon. I’ll see you during your next break and maybe watch you shoot your last scene of the day.” 

“How did you know—”

“I grabbed a call sheet from a P.A. Pops, Steve—I’ll see you later.” Claire ironically holds up a peace sign as she backs away from their table, a habit she most likely picked up from Charlie.

“She’s in a strange mood,” Cas says.

“Sounds like she’s just excited to be on set. Should I, uh—never mind.”

“What?”

“I was going to say should I ask Lisa if she wants to hang out, but we don’t have to.”

“No, I think it would be good.” Cas clears his throat and nods in confirmation.

He doesn’t mention that he wants to ask her when the hell he and Dean started smelling mated, but he suspects that Dean is thinking the same thing.

 

* * *

 

They go to Lisa’s house just two days after Claire babysits Ben, and all Ben does the whole time is ask where Claire is and when she’s coming back.

“Sorry, Dean, looks like Claire is more interesting than Steve Rogers,” Lisa jokes as they all walk to the kitchen together. “Beer?”

“Yes, please,” Cas says at the same time Dean says, “Yeah.” 

“So, how have you guys been? What’s the occasion?” she asks.

They all open their beer and take a seat at the kitchen table. Ben is in the living room playing video games, so Dean thinks maybe they’re about to have an  _adult_ conversation. 

“Just hadn’t seen you in a while, thought we’d catch up,” Dean answers.

“Claire told us you think we’re mated.”

Dean nearly spits his beer. After composing himself, he glares at Cas. Cas just squints at him.

“Is that really why you guys are here tonight?” Lisa asks through a laugh.

“Well, we  _did_  want to hang out with you,” Dean says. “Claire told us she was babysitting Ben, and then she mentioned the mating thing and it got us thinking so we…”

“You two are a mess.”

Nobody says anything for a while. The TV blares from the living room. Dean considers shouting at Ben to turn it down.

“So are you going to tell us what you meant?” Cas asks.

“Jesus, Cas, don’t—”

“You definitely smell mated. Enough that I’m hardly attracted to you at all, Dean.”

“What?” Dean tries not to sound offended and fails. Cas rolls his eyes. 

“You smell totally different now, like you’re off limits. Claimed by an alpha or whatever the cool kids are calling it these days.”

Dean and Cas look at each other. There’s something primitive in Cas’ gaze like he’s ready to mount him right there at the kitchen table and officially claim him as his own.

“We’re not mated though,” Dean says eventually.

“Apparently your bodies think differently. Um, I have to finish making dinner, so if you two would hang out with Ben—” 

“Sure, Lis.” 

“And guys? Your scent blockers  _do_ cover your smell, so don’t worry about people finding out.”

They nod in appreciation before heading to the living room. Ben isn’t in a particularly chatty mood, so Dean picks up one of the controllers and tells him to put in Mario Kart. When Ben asks him if that’s the only game he knows how to play, Dean asks him when he copped such an attitude.

“Miss Claire said you’re bad at video games,” Ben explains. 

Cas sits forward on the couch and asks, “Did Miss Claire say anything else that we should know about?”

Ben shrugs and stares at the TV. “She said my mom’s cooler than you.”

Dean chokes back a laugh.

“That’s true, your mother is much more awesome than me or Dean.”

Not exactly the reaction Dean was expecting, but when he turns to give Cas a questioning look, Cas just shrugs like it’s obvious. Dean tucks it away to ask about later. Up until this point, he thought Cas just tolerated Lisa because Dean is friends with her. (Which, honestly, is not at all socially acceptable to ask of an alpha. Cas and Dean aren’t even mated, and yet Cas is expected to spend time with Dean’s ex-girlfriend. It’s unheard of.) 

Lisa calls them in for dinner after the third time Ben wins the gold cup (“you really are terrible at video games, Dean,” “shut up, Cas”), and again Ben sort of stays out of the conversation as they eat. Dean considers asking Lisa if something is wrong, but then Ben starts nodding off into his asparagus so Dean picks him up.

“He’s been exhausted all day,” Lisa explains. “Dean, do you mind—”

“I got him,” Dean says, splaying his hand over Ben’s back as he carries him out of the kitchen.

As he’s heading up the stairs, he hears Cas say, “Dean is very good with him.”

Lisa responds, “Dean’s good with everyone.” 

When he returns to the kitchen five minutes later, he finds Lisa and Cas huddled close together and having what looks like a very serious conversation.

“What’d I miss?” Dean asks warily. 

“Nothing,” Cas answers too quickly. He stands and continues, “Dean, we should go. We have an early morning tomorrow. Lisa, it was lovely to see you.”

“What, no dessert?”

Cas grabs him by the hand and drags him toward the door. Lisa waves apologetically and shouts that she’ll see them at work in the morning.

They get in the car and shut the doors. Dean turns to Cas and asks, “What the hell was that ab—”

“I want to knot you,” Cas says without looking at Dean. “And then I want to be your mate. Does that sound good to you?”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically all porn ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

As soon as Dean is out of earshot, Lisa whispers, “He was never like this with me.” 

“What do you mean?” Cas whispers back. 

“I don’t know, he’s just comfortable around you. Like he knows exactly what’s going on in your relationship and he’s OK with it. I don’t know. You guys should be mated, I’m sure of it.”

“When you were with him, did he smell—” 

“Like my true mate? Yeah, and I smelled like his. But that doesn’t matter.” 

“I’ve heard of people having more than one true mate. What if this isn’t—what if it’s not permanent?”

Lisa looks away and laughs quietly. “Dean is a piece of work, you know. He’s got all these true mates and yet—”

“He doesn’t really want to be with anyone. I’m glad you see the humor in it as well.” 

“Cas, I told Dean once that it would take someone as stubborn as he is for him to settle down. You two seem like mates, but…not. And that’s what Dean needs, for someone to be different than what everyone tells him he should want. Does that make sense?”

“I-I think so.”

“So, what are you waiting for, Cas? Why aren’t you—”

“What’d I miss?” Dean interrupts.

Cas decides right then to stop waiting.

 

* * *

 

“Uh—it, um,” Dean says intelligently.

“I’m sorry, Dean. I didn’t mean to spring this on you, it—”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, it sounds good.” Dean squeezes Cas’ knee in reassurance. “It sounds really fucking good, Cas.” 

A small smile pulls at Cas’ lips. His eyes drift to the steering wheel. “You’re the one driving, Dean.”

Dean speeds home.

The anticipation builds so quickly that by the time they pull into the garage, the car smells thick with arousal and Dean isn’t even bothering to hide his erection. They rush inside the house, Dean tripping over the threshold and blindly tossing his keys toward the direction of the kitchen before they make it to his bedroom. 

Cas pushes up behind him and kicks the door shut. He wraps one arm around Dean’s waist and one across his chest and whispers, “Dean,” right into his ear.

“Yeah, Ennis?” Dean leans back and lets Cas take most of his weight.

“What did you call me?”

“Nothing. What are we doing?” 

“Let me take care of you.”

“Yeah? How?” Something warm burns low in Dean’s belly, and he finds himself smiling without meaning to.

Cas responds by tightening his grip and pressing light kisses to Dean’s neck. Dean sighs and leans back even more, so Cas starts to slowly unbutton his overshirt.

“Are you still with me, Dean?” Cas asks after a minute, his voice gruff and even deeper than usual.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.”

Cas finally pulls his overshirt all the way off. Dean doesn’t wait before yanking his t-shirt over his head, too. Then Cas grabs him by the hips and spins him around so he can seal their mouths together in a hungry kiss. This continues for long enough that it becomes amusing, and both Dean and Cas laugh as they lightly press their lips together.

Out of nowhere Cas picks Dean up off the floor and manhandles him onto the bed. 

“Whoa, hey there, tiger,” Dean says a little nervously.

Cas growls and pulls off Dean’s pants and boxer briefs.

“How come I’m always naked and you’re fully—”

“Shut up, Dean.”

He used his alpha voice, but unlike most of the time with Cas, it seemed intentional. Dean feels a shiver run down his spine. He hopes there’s a lot more of that in his future.

“What are you thinking about?” Cas asks, snapping Dean out of his train of thought.

“Thinking about how fantastic it’s going to feel with your knot inside me.”

“There’s been a change of plans.” Cas hovers over Dean and moves down his body with a gentle line of kisses.

“What-what are you—”

Cas digs his fingers into Dean’s side to get him to shut up. Dean tries to breathe normally and not freak out too much about the fact that instead of fucking him into next week, Cas is covering every inch of his skin in soft kisses.

The thing that’s freaking him out the most is that he  _likes_ it. 

It goes on for at least half an hour, Cas alternating between kissing Dean’s body and kissing his mouth. Dean thinks he might explode with want.

He’s not even hard.

Cas, of course, isn’t either.

“Cas-Cas—I…”

“What is it, Dean?”

Dean grabs him by the neck and pulls him up for a desperate kiss. He holds Cas’ face in both his hands and moves his lips in a furious rhythm, darting his tongue out and catching Cas’ bottom lip between his teeth repeatedly.

_“Cas.”_

And then Cas is right  _there,_ pressing his teeth and tongue to Dean’s neck and Dean can feel his toes curling and goose bumps rising on his skin and he’s never felt like this before in his life and he has no idea what to— 

Cas pulls away and stares into Dean’s eyes.

“What?” Dean asks, immediately feeling calmer.

“What do you want, Dean?”

The answer comes easy, without hesitation, like it’s the simplest thing in the world. “I want to be your mate.”

Cas gives a lopsided smile and whispers, “Turn over.”

It wasn’t a command, but Dean still eagerly obeys. He pushes his ass up in the air and whines a little, but then he realizes that he’s still not hard and Cas isn’t like the alphas Dean plays in movies.

“Are you ready?” Cas asks as he massages Dean’s ass with both his hands.

“C’mon, Cas, make me yours.”

Before Dean can even finish the sentence, Cas’ mouth latches onto his right ass cheek. He bites down hard. Dean cries out as he tries to process what’s happening. In a second, Cas’ mouth seals over the open wound and sucks out the blood before licking the sensitive area and pulling away to examine his work.

Dean twists the upper half of his body and shouts,  _“Really?”_ at his mate.

Cas stares at him with wide eyes like he’s totally innocent. “You didn’t think I’d put my mark on a visible spot, did you? Lisa might be your makeup artist now, Dean, but she won’t always be.”

Dean twists back around and shoves his face into the pillow below him. “I can’t believe you just put a fucking mating bite on my goddamn ass cheek.” 

Tentatively, Cas crawls up the bed until he’s lying down next to Dean with his hands folded over his chest. He looks like he’s waiting to get in trouble.

With a grunt, Dean scoots down the bed and starts taking Cas’ pants off.

“Dean, what are you—” 

Without warning, he sinks his teeth into Cas’ inner thigh and holds back a laugh as Cas arches up and uncharacteristically whines in the back of his throat. The cut is deep, so Cas doesn’t start bleeding right away. Dean stares at his teeth marks and waits until red appears before he leans back down to soothe the wound. When he looks back up at Cas, he finds him with his eyes shut tightly and one hand raking over his face.

“Ow,” Cas says. 

“I’m going to go get some bandaids.”

Cas nods and begins rubbing his eyes. Dean carefully slides off the bed and tries his best not to stretch his own wound and make it bleed harder than it already is. By the time he gets to the bathroom he can feel blood trickling down the back of his leg, and he turns in front of the full-length mirror to check the damage.

It’s only then that it hits him. 

He’s mated. He’s mated to  _Cas._ And he’s not freaking out about it.

Holy shit.

 

* * *

 

Castiel takes deep, centering breaths to try to calm down while Dean is in the bathroom.

His heart is racing and his thoughts are all jumbled, but he has to maintain his cool for his omega. His mate. 

He had fully intended on being knotted to Dean before biting into his skin, but something about that just seemed off. Maybe because they have such a complicated relationship with sex. Maybe because Cas still feels insecure and believes that all Dean cares about is sex. Maybe because being mated is a lot more important than being knotted. 

When Dean steps out of the bathroom, he has a goofy grin on his face and a first aid kit in his hands. Cas rakes his eyes over his mate’s body and wishes he could see the bite on his ass.

“Quit staring at my flaccid dick, dude,” Dean states. He then lies on the bed, flipped on his stomach so Cas can take care of his bite.

“How are you feeling?” Cas asks nervously. His hands tremble as he bandages Dean’s ass.

“What do you mean? I’m mated to my favorite person, how do you think I’m feeling?”

“I suppose I just expected you to, um. I thought you might panic.”

“And now you’re confused because  _you’re_ the one panicking?” Dean turns his head and raises an eyebrow at Cas.

“How did you—”

“We’re mated, dude. I can smell it on you.” Dean flips over and reaches for the first aid kit to take care of Cas. “Feel free to give me doctor tips while I do this.”

“I said I was going to knot you, and then I didn’t.”

“No offense, Cas, but that’s not really surprising.” Dean finishes the bandage and leans forward to kiss Cas on the cheek. “I’m ready for bed, you ready for bed?”

Cas narrows his eyes at him. 

Dean laughs and pats his cheek. “Quit being so skeptical, man. I haven’t been this happy since—well, in a long time. Maybe I’ll freak out in the morning, maybe I won’t. But why don’t we get some sleep and quit worrying right now? That sound good?”

Cas swallows his protest and nods. His insecurities can hold off for the night.

He falls asleep next to his mate.

 

* * *

 

Dean wakes up feeling groggy and disoriented. There’s a sickly sweet smell in the room, and the air is muggy because apparently he forgot to turn the temperature down before bed. 

Cas stirs next to him and turns his head to blink sleepily at Dean. He reaches a hand across the bed. Dean takes it and kisses his fingers.

“Hey, honey,” Dean greets in a whisper.

“Why does it smell weird in here?” Cas mumbles.

“How are you this grumpy on a morning off?”

“That didn’t answer my question.” Cas scoots across the bed until his head is resting in the crook of Dean’s arm.

“We’re mated, you moron.”

Cas wrinkles his nose.  _“That’s_  what we smell like? Ugh.” 

Dean squeezes Cas’ hand and says, “Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t fall back asleep.” 

“Why not?” Cas says through a yawn.

“Because we—”

The sound of Cas’ snore cuts him off.

Dean rolls his eyes and tries to fall back asleep with Cas in his arms.

The next time he wakes up, he turns over to find Cas buried under the covers as far away from him as possible. He reaches over and hits him on the back, but Cas just grunts and burrows deeper into the mattress. Dean decides to double his efforts then, laughing softly to himself as he rolls over until his chest is pressed up against Cas’ back. He shakes him by the arm and hooks a leg over his hip. 

 _“Dean,”_ Cas complains, dragging the name out for a solid five seconds.

Dean blows a raspberry onto his neck while tickling his belly.

Three seconds later, Dean is pinned down to the bed with his arms above his head. Cas holds his wrists in a painful grip. Dean privately hopes that he leaves bruises.

With a smile on his face, Dean asks, “What are you going to do to me, alpha?”

Cas glares at him before leaning down and kissing him hard. He pulls away too quickly, and Dean tries to chase his mouth and fails. When he attempts to lift his hands to grab Cas’ face and pull him back down, Cas pushes his wrists even harder into the pillow. Dean continues smiling.

Again, Cas manhandles him until he’s the one on top. He maintains the hold on his wrists but very deliberately relaxes his body under Dean’s weight.

“Make me hard,” Cas commands. 

All Dean can manage is a nod before sliding down the bed and taking Cas’ cock in his mouth.

Within a few minutes Cas is completely hard, and he’s responding way more enthusiastically than he ever has before. He’s panting and sweating and running his hands through Dean's hair like he’s not sure what he’s feeling. If this were any other person, Dean wouldn’t think much of it. But it’s not any other person, so Dean is leaking precome and rolling his hips in the air and shaking with want.

His alpha wants him.

“Dean,” Cas breathes.

Dean crawls back up the bed and presses kisses to Cas’ neck and jaw. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m right here, I got you.” 

With his eyes closed, Cas reaches for Dean’s face and pulls him in for a kiss that lasts several minutes. His hand travels down Dean’s back and he easily slides a finger into Dean’s hole, presumably to test how wet he is. He stops kissing Dean for just a moment as he grabs him by the hips and lines him up over his cock. Dean sinks down gently and easily, and they both sigh and sit still for longer than necessary. 

It’s Cas who moves first, slowly thrusting up into Dean like they have all the time in the world. Dean matches his pattern and sits down hard on each thrust in an attempt to have Cas as deep inside of him as possible. He gasps when Cas finds his prostate, and that’s when the pace picks up a little. Dean folds himself over Cas and seals their mouths together in a lazy, distracted kiss. Cas holds his cheek in one hand and his ass in the other, his thumb idly passing back and forth over his mating bite. They end up staring at each other’s faces, only inches apart. 

It’s simultaneously too much and not enough, and Dean comes without Cas touching him at all. It takes Cas a few more minutes to follow, and Dean’s whole body tenses up at the feeling of Cas’ come filling him up. He doesn’t even have time to recover before there’s a knot stretching him open and making him see stars. His hole clenches around Cas as his legs squeeze into his sides, and Cas comes again with even more vigor this time. Dean leans back on his heels and focuses all of his attention on the heavy pulse of Cas’ knot making him feel like he’s the only omega in the world.

After a few minutes of silence, Dean very carefully maneuvers his body so they can lie down together. Cas gets the hint and spoons him easily, pushing his knot even deeper as he scoots up behind Dean. He very lazily blows a raspberry onto Dean’s neck.

Dean huffs a laugh and pulls Cas’ hand up to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. They lie in silence for several minutes.

“It smells better now,” Cas says.

“Do you think—never mind.”

“What is it, Dean?”

“Do you think this is what, uh, falling in love feels like?”

“No,” Cas answers without hesitation. “This is something else entirely.”

“What, then?”

“I don’t know, but I know it’s better.” Cas squeezes Dean’s hand. “Much better.”


	22. Chapter 22

_Where are you? Are you alive?_

Cas rubs the sleep from his eyes and attempts to type a coherent response to Claire.

_Dean’s. Yes._

_ALL weekend?? I’m still in high school, you know. I could’ve burned down the house._

_Yeah, I was really worried about that. Obviously._

_I stg Cas if u come home with a mating bite_

Cas doesn’t respond. Even when Claire texts him three more times shouting at him in all caps, all he tells her is to calm down. Why she’s even awake at this hour, he’s not sure.

“Claire bothering you?” Dean asks right into his ear, sliding up behind him in the bathroom and wrapping an arm around his stomach.

“Just wondering where I am and if we’re mated. I didn’t tell her.”

Between kisses to Cas’ neck, Dean says, “Why not?”

“You know, you’ve gotten a lot more  _touchy_ recently.”

Dean doesn’t stop kissing Cas’ neck. “That a problem?” 

“No. Just unexpected.”

“So, why didn’t you tell Claire we’re mated?”

“I don’t know. I’d rather see the shock on her face than get the all caps texts.”

“You nervous?”

“Not really. Claire’s known about my crush on you probably longer than I have.”

Dean finally pulls away from Cas and reaches for his toothbrush. “Oh, yeah? Should I ask her about it?” 

“No, that’s not a wise idea. She’ll go into a longwinded explanation about how few people in my life I’ve actually been attracted to, and she’ll detail the exact steps I take when I start to show interest in a person. It’s not pleasant.”

They grin at each other through the bathroom mirror while Dean finishes brushing his teeth. “How long did you like me before we met? Were you like a teenage girl, sifting through my IMDb and finding bootlegs of all my old movies? Please don't tell me you watched the Burger King commercials.”

“My favorite was the Hallmark movie you did in 2003.”

“Oh god, I should’ve asked before binding myself to you for life.”

The mood in the bathroom immediately shifts as Dean processes what he just said. Cas can see the nervousness setting in. He’s not sure he knows how to offer comfort. A lifetime together is a long time. Thinking about it makes Cas a little dizzy, so there’s really nothing he can say to make Dean feel better about it.

They’re both fucked.

“Hey,” Dean says eventually.

Cas turns and faces him, allowing Dean to stroke his thumb over his hip.

“We’re going to go to work today with our blockers on and everyone is going to pretend like they don’t know what’s going on,” Dean continues.

Cas nods.

“And then whenever this shoot is finally over, we’re going to figure this thing out together, all right? Because we’ve both got houses and you’ve got a kid and I’m very famous, so until we’ve got some time to sit down and think we’re just going to go on as usual.”

“That’s awfully practical of you, Dean.”

“C’mon, man, give me some credit here.”

Cas smiles and leans forward to kiss his forehead. “I like your plan. Although it’s going to be difficult to drive home to my empty, odorless house every day.”

“Yeah, right, like we’re going to go home separately every day. Nice one, Cas.”

“But you just said—”

“We’re going to be late for work. Come on.”

 

* * *

 

They decide to drive their respective cars to work. Dean stupidly believes it will make him less nervous to step onto set with a mating bite throbbing on his ass, but he quickly realizes that not having his mate by his side under stress is a terrible fucking idea. They’ve been mated for 24 hours and he's already depending too much on Cas. Again.

As luck would have it, he and Cas arrive on set at the exact same time. They stare at each other in the parking lot before walking shoulder-to-shoulder toward the studio.

“It’s totally normal for us to walk in together,” Dean rationalizes.

“We’ve done it before. Nobody will think twice about it.”

“Would it be weird if we held hands?”

“...Yes.” 

Dean takes a deep breath and feels his heartbeat slow. Great, he’s one of those assholes who finds solace solely in his alpha’s voice. Fucking _great._

Cas squeezes his hand once. “You’re fine, Dean.” 

When they get to the lot, they see everybody gathered in the catering tent eating breakfast. It’s not always provided, and apparently Dean and Cas both missed it on the call sheet for today. They share a confused look before silently deciding to walk in together. 

The din of talking and laughing slowly dies down as they walk past the lines of tables. People are staring and smiling and looking shocked and Dean and Cas just keep walking because they have no idea what the hell is going on.

It’s Gabriel who stands up and starts clapping and cheering like a maniac.

“Hell yeah, look who got busy this weekend! When’s the engagement party, boys?” he shouts.

Dean and Cas finally stop walking, Dean lifting his hand up to stop it against Cas’ chest.

In a moment, the entire room is standing and yelling. All of their friends, people they’ve never even spoken to before, even Bela and Benny and everybody else who doesn’t care one way or another. Through the noise, Dean can hear some  _finally’_ s and  _damn right’_ s. His heart is pounding in his chest, and he doesn’t know when Cas grabbed his hand but he’s glad that he did.

When everything dies down, Gabriel yells, “So where are they? Show ‘em off!”

Dean turns to Cas in a panic. Cas, unfortunately, also looks like he’s about to panic. 

“Uh,” Cas starts. “They’re not in…appropriate places.”

The room erupts again.

Dean grabs Cas by the forearm and pulls him all the way out of the tent and back toward his trailer. 

“Oh my god,” Dean breathes against the door after slamming it behind them. He drops his head against the wood and considers banging it a few times.

Fortunately Cas wraps a gentle hand around Dean’s cheek and pulls him away from the door. He stares into Dean’s eyes with a frown on his face. Dean has to look away because he can’t handle being able to  _see_  how much somebody cares.

“Dean.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not going to puke or pass out, are you? Because I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle that, and that would make me look like a very bad alpha.”

Dean huffs a laugh and squeezes Cas’ hand. “You’re a dork, Cas.”

“How does being bad at handling panic make me a dork?” he asks seriously.

“Just shut up. Think you could suck me off before we go back out there? I need something, man.”

Cas rolls his eyes as he drops to his knees.

Fifteen minutes later, he feels even worse than he did before. Cas just smirks at him like he’s satisfied with the punishment.

Dean curses under his breath as he fumbles to button up his pants. His hands are shaking and he can’t see straight, but he’s supposed to cry in his first scene today so he needs to get his shit together.

“What are you thinking about?” Cas asks. 

“How much I hate you.”

Cas laughs and sprays Dean down with scent blockers before sneaking out the door. Two seconds later, he opens the door again and pecks Dean on the cheek. 

“Love you, see you later,” Cas says quickly before disappearing again. 

Dean stops shaking.

What the fuck did he just say?

 

* * *

 

Charlie sidles up next to Cas and loops her arm through his as he walks past all of the tech trailers. He hasn’t been to wardrobe or makeup yet, but he needs to go find Chuck before anything else.

“So, rockstar, how does it feel?” Charlie asks smugly. 

“I think I just told Dean that I love him.” 

“Uhhh, so? Isn’t that something that should’ve happened  _before_ you sank your teeth into his ass?”

“How did you know—”

“Oh my gosh, it  _is_ on his ass.” She bursts out laughing. “I can’t wait to tell Jo.”

Cas growls and starts to stomp away, but Charlie grabs him by the arm and tells him to wait. 

“Why are you worried about telling Dean that you love him?”

“I said it like it was normal, like something we say to each other regularly. Dean tends to respond poorly when people tell him that they love him. I didn’t even stick around long enough to see his response.” 

Charlie scrunches her nose and looks off to the left. “Yeah, that does sound like a pickle.”

“Thank you for your concern, now if you would excuse me—”

“Hey, not so fast. Bar tonight, everybody’s invited. You and Dean are the guests of honor, so make sure you show up. Drag him if you have to. Good luck with the whole love confession thing, I’ll see you later!” 

Cas stares after her as she jogs away. They’re going out to celebrate his and Dean’s commitment to one another? 

 _This can’t be a normal thing that happens,_ he thinks.

But, he supposes, normal people aren’t mated to one of the most famous people in the world.

 

* * *

 

Dean is pretty certain all of his morning coverage is absolute garbage, but Chuck just smiles at him sympathetically and gives him his notes more nervously than usual.

He doesn’t take a break until lunch, and he barely gets three feet into the tent before Cas is grabbing his sleeve and yanking him back outside.

“I meant what I said this morning,” Cas starts. He holds his hands awkwardly by his sides and stands farther from Dean than he ever has before. “I do love you, but that’s not how I wanted to say it to you for the first time. I apologize, Dean. I didn’t mean to mess up your day, and I know we were already having a rough morning. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, and I—”

“Cas.”

Cas stops and looks at Dean for the first time since he started talking.

“Cas, I’m not mad.” Dean closes the distance between them and aborts an attempt to reach out to him. “It was perfect. Nobody’s ever, uh, made it seem so easy.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re—”

“Shit, Cas, you didn’t light some candles and-and buy me roses or whatever the fuck. There were no—um, no big romantic gestures or anything, but it was just—you know, it was—it was—” 

“Casual.”

“Yeah. Casual.” Dean stuffs his hands in his pockets and kicks a rock on the ground. 

Cas kicks the rock back.

They stand in silence for a minute or two.

“We have to go to a bar tonight with everyone,” Cas states.

“What?”

“Apparently we’re celebrating.”

“Did you know we’d have to go through all this shit when we got hitched?”

“I suppose it’s better than the alternative. People being happy for us is better than the wild accusations the media is sure to pin on us.”

“Gee, Cas, thanks for bringing up problems that weren’t on my radar yet. Real sweet of you.” Dean sighs and rubs his eyes. “So, what, we have to go hang out with everybody tonight? Will you at least come home with me so we can go together?”

“Of course.”

“And don’t let me get drunk.”

“Don’t put that responsibility on me.”

Dean crowds up against Cas and kisses his forehead. “You’re my alpha. You can make me do whatever you want.”

Cas cocks an eyebrow and tilts his chin back. “Don’t tell me what to do, Dean.”

 

* * *

 

Dean and Cas arrive home from the bar at 3 a.m. and fall fully clothed into bed, both groaning loudly as they go.

“Well, that sucked ass,” Dean comments.

“Agreed.”

The party had been terrible. Far too many people showed up, and the poor bartenders and servers scrambled to figure out what to do. Most of the patrons in the bar ended up leaving within minutes of their arrival, scowls thrown in their direction and complaints sent to the wait stuff, but several people also tried to get pictures and autographs with Dean. He was in a nervous mood and not as kind as he usually is, and Cas spent half the night wondering what kind of rumors about Dean Winchester’s poor manners would be online the next day. To make matters worse, people kept asking what they were celebrating. Dean stammered out a poorly worded lie while shooting concerned glances at Cas. Fortunately, Bela and Gabriel were the prepared ones who came up with solid enough lies to keep people from asking too many questions.

Cas, for the most part, sat quietly in a booth and drank bourbon with Lisa for most of the night.

“Can’t believe you did it,” she said as they clinked their glasses together. 

“That was the easy part.” Cas took a long pull of his drink. “Be impressed if we survive the next five minutes.”

“I don’t know, Dean seems about as anxious as I expected he would be. It definitely helps that he already got over the whole omega thing,” Lisa said while staring across the room at Dean. “And you’re…?”

“About the same as he is. We’re not very good at this." 

Lisa laughed and leaned back in the booth. “You guys are so ridiculously compatible.”

Cas squinted at her.

“How would you feel if you were freaking out, and Dean—your  _omega_ —was totally calm and chill?”

“It would freak me out more. Does that make me a bad alpha? To be so traditional that it would make me uncomfortable if my omega was—” 

“No, Cas, it doesn’t. The world won’t end if you fit some stereotypes. What I’m saying is that you and Dean, despite your enormous differences, are on the same page about a lot of things. The important things. That’s why you’ll make it.”

“Thank you, Lisa.”

They sat in silence after that until an appropriate amount of time had passed to change the subject.

“Is Claire babysitting Ben tonight?” Cas asked.

“She is. I told her I’d be home by 1, so I really should be going soon.”

“Yes, I suppose you should. Not that Claire cares all that much about getting enough sleep on school nights.”

“What’s it like? Having a teenager, I mean." 

“I wouldn’t know. I have an adult.”

“Must be nice. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I have a great kid, but…”

“You spend half your life worrying about him?”

Lisa nodded. “Can I tell you a secret?” 

“Of course.” 

“His dad’s an omega.”

Cas’ response died in his throat as he thought back on the two patients he had who were the result of O/O conception. Both of them had health complications, one related to her heats and the other related to his genitals. They would both be on heavy medication throughout their lives. 

“You’re not making me feel very good right now, Cas.”

“I’m sorry, Lisa. Has he had any complications yet?”

“Ugh, please don’t say ‘yet.’ He’s fine, but doctors have already informed me to take him to the hospital the second he presents.”

“Let me help you.”

“What?”

“I was a doctor, Lisa. I can help.”

Lisa’s face relaxed, and they spent the next 20 minutes discussing their options. 

Cas became so caught up in the conversation that he missed Dean having a shot competition with Gabriel and Jo. It wasn’t until Dean stumbled over to the booth and planted a kiss right on Cas’ mouth that he realized the gravity of the situation.

The entire room erupted of course. Cas gave Dean a stern look before immediately going up to the bar. He promised the wait staff a large sum of money to keep their mouths shut, but one of the bartenders was already grinning mischievously as she filled a drink.

Dean spent the rest of the night apologizing to Cas.

He vomited onto Cas’ shoes the second they stepped outside the bar.

“At least you seem to be sobering up,” Cas says as he takes off his shoes and falls back against the pillows. “I’m glad I didn’t have to take you to the hospital this time.”

“I told you not to let me drink, dude.” Dean rolls over and throws an arm across Cas’ chest. 

“I was with Lisa most of the night. I wasn’t exactly focused on your alcohol consumption.”

“Lisa? What were you guys talking about?” 

“It’s not of import, at least not now. You have bigger things to worry about.”

“Yeah, like what?”

“Like how we’re getting to work tomorrow since your car is at the bar and mine is still at work.” 

“Fuck. We fucked up tonight.”

“Mm. We tend to do that.”

Dean lifts his head in order to peck Cas on the lips. “I’ll call my driver in the morning. We should get some shut eye.”

“You have a driver?”

“Don’t worry, he has other clients. Get some sleep, Cas.”

“Remind me in the morning that you owe the wait staff of that bar thousands of dollars.”

“Yeah, OK.” Dean’s voice starts to drift off, like sleep has already begun to pull him away. Very faintly, mumbled into Castiel’s shirt, Dean whispers, “Love you.”

“I love you, too, Dean,” Cas says without even thinking about what it means. 


	23. Chapter 23

The last day of production is mayhem.

It always is, but there’s something different about this one. The cast and crew really get along and are completely invested in the film, so it’s more difficult to say goodbye to it all.

After they finish the last scene, everyone claps and a few people cry. There’s a giant cake big enough to feed a hundred people along with an open bar set up in the tent.

There are speeches made and hugs all around. Embarrassingly Chuck gets up and announces how happy he is that although Tag and Taylor couldn’t work it out between the two of them, at least Dean and Cas did. The crowd explodes at that, and Dean and Cas both roll their eyes. The crowd begs for a kiss, so Dean leans over and pecks Cas on the cheek and smacks him on the ass.

It had been strange the last few weeks, being openly mated among these people. They stopped wearing their scent blockers to work, and people suddenly started treating them a lot more kindly. It felt like everybody was metaphorically clutching their chests and sighing dramatically whenever they saw Dean and Cas together, as if them simply existing together was the cutest thing anyone had ever seen.

Dean spent most of his time feeling hot and embarrassed, and the rest of his time freaking out about people knowing that he likes men. It’s a much bigger part of his identity than being an omega has ever been, but he’s hidden it for so many years that he has no idea how to deal with being _out._

The weird thing about it is that nobody seemed to be surprised at all. Maybe everyone just assumed that because he’s an omega then he’s also not so straight, or maybe Dean is a lot more obvious than he thought. In any case, he kept expecting the worst and it continued…not happening.

Still, the thought of coming out and being public about his and Cas’ relationship scares the shit out of him. He had a panic attack thinking about it once, and Cas had to take him to bed and soothe him for an hour before he was composed enough to talk about what had happened.

Dean will never forget the disappointed look on his mate’s face when he told him the source of his panic. He knows Cas doesn’t want to hide any parts of themselves to the world and that the only reason he wants to keep their relationship a secret is for Dean’s sake, but that doesn’t mean Dean can be magically cured of his insecurities. He continuously tells Cas, “Just give me some time.”

The cast and crew are invited to Chuck’s house after work for a wrap party. There are so many people crammed into the relatively small space that Dean hardly moves from his spot all night. Cas stays close by his side and subtly monitors how much he drinks despite Dean’s protests that he’s fine and can take care of himself.

“That may be the case, Dean, but I have plans for you tonight,” Cas whispers definitively into Dean’s ear.

Dean feels all of his blood run south.

They leave the party early.

“Jesus, Cas, what are you—”

Cas seals their mouths together and sneaks his tongue through Dean’s lips before he can finish his question. He shoves Dean backward into the kitchen and knocks unknown things off the counter as he lays him out and begins removing his clothes.

“Uh, Cas? This isn’t—it’s not—I don’t—”

Cas pulls his lips away from Dean’s midsection and impatiently spits, _“What_ , Dean? I’m busy.”

Dean grabs Cas' cheek. “You all right, sweetheart?”

“Why wouldn’t I be all right?”

“It’s just—don’t get me wrong, Cas, I’m _really_ enjoying what’s going on here. But, uh, it’s just not your—you’re usually not so…”

“Dean, I’m horny. It’s not that hard to understand.”

“Heh. ‘Not that hard.’”

Cas growls and crawls onto the counter, locking his knees into Dean’s sides and leering over him. “May I fuck you on your kitchen counter or not, Dean?”

Dean nods and bites his lower lip. Cas wastes no time in resuming their kiss. Their noses keep running into each other, and Dean’s lips are tingly with friction so he has to stop every couple of minutes just to catch his breath and refocus. Whenever they stop, they keep their faces pressed together but Dean can still see the smile in Cas’ eyes and it makes him feel like the only person on earth. Of all the fame and attention he’s gotten over the years, he’s certain no amount of fan praise could compare to the adoration he finds daily on his mate’s face.

It terrifies the hell out of him.

With their lips still locked, Cas manages to divest them both of their pants and boxers. The counter is cold under Dean’s ass, but he really couldn’t give a shit right now because Cas is rolling his hips and jacking him in rhythm and the world is becoming smaller and smaller around them. In no time at all Dean feels the steady stream of slick making its way down the backs of his legs, so he hits Cas' back as a silent signal to get on with it already.

With a heavy breath, Cas pulls away from their kiss and props himself up on one arm so he can stare into Dean’s eyes as he pushes in. 

Dean closes his eyes and sighs in relief at the first press of Cas’ cock. He wraps his arms around Cas’ back and yanks him closer. Cas drops his body forward and just barely gasps as he very easily slides all the way in.

“You’re so wet, Dean. So wet and open for me. Fuck.” Cas is out of breath and hardly coherent, and that just turns Dean on even more.

“Yeah, baby. That’s all for you. Have to have your knot to fill me up.” Dean pushes down on Cas’ cock to emphasize his point. “It’s not enough, Cas. I need more of you, more…”

With a surprised gasp, Cas begins pounding into Dean with more determination than he’s ever shown in bed. He leans down and captures Dean’s mouth again. All Dean can do is kiss back and try not to black out from the pleasure. He can feel his body tightening around Cas and preparing for what’s to come, and if it doesn’t come soon he’s sure he’s going to—

Cas sighs and goes limp above him as his knot catches and takes hold inside of Dean.

Dean clenches around him and curls his toes as Cas’ come fills him up. He feels more and more of it being pumped out until finally Dean comes right onto Cas’ hand. He barely even noticed that Cas was jacking him.

They lie in silence for a few minutes, breathing heavily and unable to move.

Finally, Cas says, “We’re stuck on this cold counter for at least half an hour.” 

“Yep.” Dean arches up and digs his fingernails into Cas' back as he unexpectedly comes again.

“Sorry,” Cas mumbles when he’s done.

“Seriously, who are you and what did you do with my mate?” 

Cas furrows his eyebrows at him disapprovingly. “Are you having a hard time believing that I can get it up for you?”

“Dude, quit saying ‘hard’ when you’re talking about your dick.”

 _“Dean,”_ Cas chastises. 

“That was just really fast, dude. It usually takes a little more foreplay and begging, you know?”

“You’ve never _begged_ before.”

Dean groans and hits his head back against the countertop.

Cas rolls his eyes and drops his head to Dean’s chest. It’s definitely not the most comfortable position to be stuck in, but Cas runs his hands all along Dean’s sides and stomach and comes three more times so maybe it’s not all that bad.

“There’s so much of you inside of me,” Dean comments as Cas’ knot starts to recede.

“Well, we _are_ knotted, so—”

“No, that’s not—your come, man. I can feel it filling me up so much that it’s dripping out of me. And-and your pulse. I can feel the pulse of your knot and it’s making me fucking crazy.”

Cas laughs softly and squeezes Dean’s hip. “Yes, it must be making you crazy if you’re willing to talk so openly about it.” 

“M’sorry.”

“Are you falling asleep? Dean, please don’t fall asleep here. I won’t be able to carry you to your room.”

“Well then tell your damn knot to _calm down_ already.” Dean yawns and moves his ass just enough to pull one more orgasm out of Cas.

Cas collapses on top of him, finally letting all of his weight go limp.

“Did I just kill you?”

“I’m so tired,” Cas mumbles.

“Yeah…yeah, me too.”

 

* * *

 

When Cas wakes up, it takes him a solid minute to remember where he is. His face feels numb and his whole body is sore. It’s pitch black in the usually well-lit kitchen. 

“Dean,” he whispers as he smacks his cheek.

“Hmm? What?” Dean answers, jerking awake.

“We fell asleep on the counter.”

_“Ugh.”_

Dean starts to move, so Cas scrambles to his feet and pulls him into his arms. With a dissatisfied grunt, Dean wraps his arms around Cas’ neck and his legs around his waist and holds tight as Cas carries him to his room. They fall into bed gracelessly. Dean pulls Cas’ arm around him so they can fall asleep spooned together.

The next time they wake up, it’s light outside. Cas’ face is buried in Dean’s chest, and he’s even sorer than he was the last time he woke up.

“Time is it?” Dean mutters.

“I have no idea." 

“Are we supposed to be anywhere today?”

“No.”

“Ugh, Crowley is going to call me.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I just want to take a couple months off. Is that too much to ask?”

Cas lifts his head up so he can look into Dean’s eyes. “You’ve been doing nothing but _Atlanta_ for nearly a year. Aren’t you anxious to…do something else?”

Dean smiles and kisses Cas squarely on the mouth. “Hell yeah, I want to do something else.” He slides his hand down Cas’ bare back and squeezes his ass to emphasize his point. “I want to do something else all day long.”

“Dean, I’m serious. That’s almost a two-year gap between film releases." 

“Geez, did Crowley put you up to this? I’ve got a movie coming out in three months. Filmed it, like, two years ago—got put on hold, production delayed, whatever. I’m doing press for it soon, so can I just hang out with my mate until then? Is that all right with you, sir?”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“I suppose we should spend this time figuring out our living situation.”

“Or…” Dean squeezes Cas’ ass with both hands this time. “I could flush my suppressants down the toilet and watch you lose your goddamn mind.”

It was so long ago that Cas nearly forgot what Jo told him: Dean only goes off his suppressants between filming.

“Cas? Did I lose you, buddy?”

“I’m sorry. I forgot that your suppressants actually make a difference, considering your body still produces slick and the chemicals that make you smell extraordinary to me.” 

“That’s mostly you causing that.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of that happening between true mates. Even the strongest medication can’t prevent some people’s bodies from performing their natural functions, no matter how unwanted.”

“True mates, huh?”

“I assumed that was fairly obvious.”

“You believe in all that?”

“In the common theory that every person has one true mate and once they find them, they can settle down and have a litter of children and live happily ever after? No. That attraction is connected to our chemical makeup and that makes some people, or person, stand out among the rest? Yes.” 

“Mm.” Dean stares up at the ceiling and absentmindedly strokes Cas’ back.

“Is there something else on your mind, Dean?”

“Just trying to figure out what the ‘true mate attraction’ even is.” He lifts his arms in order to use them while he talks. “I mean, I don’t really…all the romance and lovey dovey stuff is weird to me, and all the sex stuff is weird to you. Those seem, you know, like—I don’t know, vital ingredients to a true mate pairing, don’t you think?”

“No, I don’t think that at all.” Cas pecks Dean on the lips before continuing. “I think we have something completely different, a more profound bond.”

Dean pulls an ugly face. “Really, Cas? _‘Profound bond’?_ That’s what we’re going with?”

Cas situates his head back on Dean’s chest and mumbles, “Let me know when you think of something better.”

He wakes up again a few hours later to the gentle press of Dean’s lips on his skin. They lazily make out and fall back asleep again. It goes on for the rest of the day, talking and sleeping and fucking until the sun goes down and Dean’s stomach growls rather loudly.

“We’ve been in bed for a whole day,” Dean states.

“I wonder how many phone calls we’ve missed.”

“Hey, Cas.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re, uh, going to be OK if I go off my suppressants, right? I mean, you’re up for that?”

“Dean, I’m aware that you’ll go into heat within a week of missing your suppressants.” He finally gets out of bed and starts rummaging through Dean’s dresser for some clothes. “What you’re forgetting is that I’m also on suppressants. So are you sure _you’re_ ready?” 

Cas doesn’t turn to see Dean’s reaction, but he can smell the odd combination of nerves and arousal from across the room. Dean starts to respond, but he’s cut off by the sound of a very loud knock on the door.

“Shit, it’s probably Sam,” Dean says as he falls out of bed and starts pulling on clothes.

“Were you expecting him?” 

“He knows we wrapped up yesterday, so I wouldn’t put it past him to show up unannounced.” 

“Should I—”

“Just wait here!” Dean slips out the bedroom door and closes it behind him before Cas can say anything else.

He’s tempted to risk walking out after Dean, but that would prove troublesome if it was anybody other than Sam at the door. So instead, he sits and waits.

 

* * *

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming, calm down!” Dean yells as he approaches the front door.

Crowley’s on the other side, wearing a bored expression and smelling annoyed. “Did you lose your phone, Dean?” 

“I’ve been a little busy. Who’s he?” Dean looks past Crowley at the grumpy-looking alpha behind him. 

“Victor Henriksen. It’s nice to finally meet you, Dean,” he says with a smug smile.

“Uh, did I miss something here?” Dean asks as he shakes Victor’s hand.

Crowley pushes past Dean and into the living room. Victor follows. Dean shuts the door behind them and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Oh, quit posturing, Dean. If you had paid any attention to my messages, you would know why we’re here,” Crowley says as he takes a seat on the couch.

Victor elects to stand, moving closer to Dean and sizing him up. “You’re mated.”

“Well, we’ve got a real Sherlock on our hands. Stop the presses.” Dean tries to move past Victor to sit with Crowley, but Victor stops him with a hand to his chest.

“He’s here, isn’t he?” Victor asks. “It smells like he’s here. Why don’t you go get him?”

“Dude, you are a whole new level of creepy. I’m not doing jack until you tell me who you—”

“He’s a publicist, you moron,” Crowley cuts in. “He’s here because you couldn’t keep it in your pants and went and got yourself mated to a _bloody alpha!”_

“Tell me how you really feel, Crowley.”

Crowley is on his feet and in Dean’s space in an instant. “You listen to me, you spoiled little—”

“Finish that sentence and it’ll be the last thing you do,” Cas calmly states from where he’s leaning against the doorframe between the living room and hallway. He’s using his alpha voice and he smells like pure aggression and protectiveness, and yet he’s completely relaxed and composed. “Now why don’t we sit down and discuss this like civilized human beings?”

The room falls so silent that Dean’s pretty sure he can hear his pants tenting from the boner he’s not even going to try to hide. Cas turns his attention to Dean and gestures for him to have a seat in the living room.

“I’m going to make some coffee,” Cas says as he heads toward the kitchen. “Would anyone like some coffee?” 

Crowley and Victor both decline. Dean winks at Cas as he asks for “my usual, thanks, sweetheart.”

When Dean turns back to the living room, he finds Crowley’s eyebrows raised ridiculously high and Victor laughing like this is all so funny to him.

“So, Victor, tell me—”

“Everybody calls me Henriksen,” Victor interrupts. He tilts his head down as if challenging Dean to fight back.

“All right, chuckles, convince me that I need you despite the fact that I’ve survived my entire illustrious career so far without a publicist.”  

“Your agent here tells me his phone’s been awfully quiet lately. He believes it’s because _somebody’s_ been in the news a little too much the past few months. You mind explaining to me the situation between you and your mate so that we can figure out how best to mask it?”

Dean plops down on the couch with a heavy sigh. “Well, let’s see—it was love at first sight, and I’ve never felt the same since. There were sparks flying and my knees were—” 

“Dean and I have been mated for a month. We don’t technically live together yet. Our mating bites are in hidden places, but our combined smell is too strong to be masked by even the strongest blockers. Dean is out to the public as an omega, but he is still presumed to be straight and single. What else do you need to know?” Cas cuts in as he hands a mug of coffee to Dean and takes a seat next to him. He even goes so far as to wrap a protective arm around the back of the couch.

“Now, Mr. Novak, I under—” 

“Please, it’s Castiel,” Cas interrupts with a head tilt of his own aimed at Victor.

Dean coughs and presses a hand to his crotch.

“All right, _Castiel,”_ Victor continues. “I understand you have a fairly viable cover with Meg Masters, correct?”

“What is this, an interrogation?” Dean interrupts.

“Yes, I do,” Cas answers.

“Now, Dean, what with your…recent announcement,” (Crowley deliberately clears his throat), “it’s important that you also confuse the media.”

Dean rolls his eyes, which goes unnoticed because Cas rolls his entire head.

“Look, I’m taking a break for a while—" 

“You’re _what?”_ Crowley interrupts.

“—And I’d like to just lay low and stay out of everyone’s business for a couple months if that’s cool with you guys.”

“Dean, I have a dozen projects lined up for you to choose from, this is not the time to ‘take a break,’” Crowley says angrily. 

“You have a dozen projects lined up for me? Didn't you _just_ say you weren't getting any calls for me?" 

"Well, I..."

Dean shares a look with Cas. “You get the calls before or after I told everybody I seep out my ass?”

Cas chokes on his coffee.

“After,” Crowley says. “Your wet ass is a hot commodity.”

“OK, this took a weird turn,” Henriksen mumbles. “Dean, at the very least I would advise you to be seen in public every so often with a woman the media will assume is your girlfriend. Are you still in contact with Lisa Braeden?”

Dean and Cas both burst out laughing.

“Yeah, right, like Lisa is going to pretend to date me. That’s hilarious.”

“I’m not even going to ask,” Henriksen says over their laughter. “What about Anna Milton?”

“What _about_ Anna Milton?”

“You two have been rumored to be involved for years now. Why not spend a little more time with her than usual?”

“Is this really your job, dude? You just stalk famous people’s lives so you can lie for them?”

“Dean, I have a life—albeit a boring one—and I would really like to get out of here and back to that life, so would you mind cooperating?”

Dean rolls his eyes and sighs. “Fine, I’ll call Anna and tell her the deal. Are we done here?”

“Just one more thing,” Henriksen continues. “Make sure you have the talk with her in person, somewhere with a lot of people. Somewhere the paps will show up.”

“Really? Why the fuck—”

“You don’t seem to have a problem going places with your mate, so it shouldn’t be a problem with Anna. Deal?”

Dean feels a shiver run down his spine. It takes him a moment to process that he’s weirdly turned on by Henriksen’s aggressiveness. He clears his throat and looks at Cas. Cas responds by squinting menacingly at him.

“Dean. Answer the question,” Crowley says impatiently.

“Deal. Yeah, deal. I’ll fucking do it. Can you two please get out of my house now?”

 

* * *

 

Two hours. Cas manages to make it two hours after Crowley and Henriksen leave before he finally breaks.

“Were you attracted to Henriksen?”

Dean nearly chokes on his pesto. “What? What are you—how could you—I mean—c’mon, Cas—”

“So that’s a yes.” Cas sets his fork down and pushes his plate away.

“I, uh. He was cute, yeah.”

“And an alpha.” 

“Wow, it’s almost like I have a type.” Dean sets his fork down as well and crosses his arms over his chest. “Cas, I’m not going to stop finding people attractive just because we’re mated. If you think I would act on it, then you really don’t know—”

“No, I know. I know, Dean. I just…” Cas closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I fit quite a few unfortunate alpha stereotypes. I didn’t like Henriksen.”

“Then why the hell did you agree to let him work for us?”

“Hardly. I agreed to _talk_ to him.”

“Yeah, while I’m with Anna. What’s _that_ about?”

Cas doesn’t answer. 

“Jesus Christ, Cas, you want to keep tabs on me and Anna, don’t you?”

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t feel the same when I told you about Meg.”

“I’ve never _spied_ on you guys!”

“It’s not going to be spying.”

“Then why did you and Victor talk about it ‘privately’?” 

“Don’t you think it would be a little suspicious if you and I were in the same restaurant and didn’t so much as speak to each other, Dean? We were figuring out how to stage you and I running into one another and being surprised to see each other, and you would introduce me to Anna and the media would shut up. You weren’t supposed to know any of that.” Cas stands and practically throws his plate in the sink.

“Oh, really? What is this, grade school? Grow up, Cas!”

“You’re the one shouting, Dean!”

“You’re shouting, too, asshole!”

“I shouldn’t even let you speak to me like this.”

"Let me—oh—how _dare_ you.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Why don’t you just go ahead and turn your mega dick alpha voice on and _make me bow to you?”_

Angry hate sex isn’t so bad.

 

* * *

 

The paparazzi show up to the restaurant so fast that Dean thinks Henriksen tipped them off. Anna laughs when Dean explains what’s going on, and then she reaches across the table and takes his hand in hers to show that she’s on board.

“This is so ridiculous, I knew this would happen to you,” she says.

“Yeah, right.”

“How long do you think you’ll be able to keep it a secret? I mean, how much do you really like him?”

“Well, let’s see, it took me almost 36 years to announce my gender designation, so…I'll probably be on my deathbed before anyone knows about Cas.”

Anna looks at him in pity and squeezes his hand.

“What?”

“I’m just sad for you. He’s your mate. Nobody should have to hide their mate.”

“Nobody should have their private life on display for the whole world to see.” 

Anna opens her mouth as if to respond and then changes her mind and looks down at her lap.

“Anyway, are you sure you’re cool with—”

“Dean?”

As soon as Dean hears Cas’ voice behind him, something shifts. Something _within_ him shifts.

He feels sweat bead at the back of his neck. Anna becomes fuzzy in front of him. The room grows dark. His body feels limp.

It’s his first heat in over a year. 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for so much sex wow

Dean hasn’t even turned around and Cas is already reaching for his arm to drag him out of the restaurant and home to their bed.

Henriksen catches his arm. Cas briefly considers punching him in the face. 

“Time to go, Cas, come on,” Henriksen whispers soothingly as he pushes Cas toward the door.

“Why are you separating me from my mate? I _need_ my mate,” Cas fires back. 

Henriksen tightens his grip, and it’s then that Cas realizes he’s outmatched. There’s no way he’s going to be able to break away and get back to his omega. So he opens his mouth to shout Dean’s name.

Immediately Henriksen’s hand comes up and covers his mouth. “You’ll thank me later,” he says calmly.

Cas bites his hand.

Henriksen doesn’t even wince as blood seeps from his fingers.

When they get to the car, Henriksen shoves Cas in the backseat and begins to speed in the direction of Dean’s house.

The car smells like leather and pine nuts and nothing like Dean’s heat and Cas begins to think straight again.

“What just happened?” he asks. 

“You went into rut in response to Dean’s heat. It would’ve been nice if you boys had told me you stopped using suppressants _before_ I put you in public together.”

“It might’ve slipped our minds. Are we going to Dean’s house?”

“Yeah, and you might want to call him and make sure he’s heading there, too.”

Cas scrambles to pull out his phone and drops it twice before he manages to hit Dean’s name and get the phone up to his ear.

“Cas.”

Dean sounds gruff and desperate and like he _belongs_ to Cas. “I—your house. Anna?”

“Yeah. Five minutes. Anna driving.”

“Good. Rush—hurry. Fuck.”

“Yeah. Bye." 

Henriksen glares at Cas through the rearview mirror then eventually shakes his head, looks back at the road and mumbles, “This is why I’m not mated."

 

* * *

 

Dean doesn’t even get a glimpse of Cas before he disappears behind Henriksen, so it’s not too difficult for Anna to calm him down before they head out.

“We can’t leave right after them, Dean. It looks suspicious,” she says with a bright smile. 

Dean just nods.

Her fake smile falls as she breathes in. “However, your stink is going to be all over this restaurant in about two seconds, so let’s hit it.”

Anna takes his hand and leads him outside. He’s probably crushing her fingers but he doesn’t really care. A young woman stops them and starts to ask for an autograph before she sniffs the air and apologizes profusely and runs away. 

“Thank goodness you already told people you’re an omega,” Anna mutters as they get in the car. “Keys?”

Dean throws them over to her without hesitation. Usually he would laugh in people’s faces if they insisted on driving his car, but right now he couldn’t care less.

Anna drives way faster than Dean would ever try to push Baby. She doesn’t let up even when her engine starts to rattle.  

“Almost there,” she says. “You can make it.”

“Talking to my car or me?”

“Both.” 

The driveway is empty when they arrive. Dean's heart sinks at the thought of Cas not being here yet. Just as he’s about to voice his concern, the front door swings open and Cas runs outside, throws Dean over his shoulder and runs back into the house.

“You’re welcome!” Anna calls after them.

They don’t say anything as they fall into bed together. There is pretty much no foreplay at all, both of them removing their own clothes and colliding together for an ugly kiss before Dean seats himself on Cas’ lap and already feels the swell of his knot.

They both sigh and cling to each other’s backs. When Dean starts moving his hips, Cas lays gentle kisses to his chest.

Cas comes with a shudder after just a few minutes. He wraps a hand around Dean’s cock as his knot catches.

It takes Dean a bit longer, and he ends up coming all over Cas’ hand and stomach just as Cas’ second orgasm fills him up.

With a groan, Cas drops his weight back against the headboard and licks Dean’s come off his hand.

“Gross, really?” Dean asks as he continues to move in circles to see just how many orgasms he can pull out of his alpha.

“You smell amazing. Taste amazing.” He continues licking his fingers. “My face is living in your ass as soon as my knot recedes.”

“Jesus, Cas.”

Once the come is off his hands, Cas leans forward and licks the sweat off of Dean’s chest and belly. He claws at Dean’s back to bring him closer, and so much come pumps into Dean that he already feels himself getting hard again.

“When did you turn into such a kinky fucker?”

Cas doesn’t look up from Dean’s chest as he answers, “It’s been several years since I went into rut. I might be a bit, um, animalistic.”

“You _think?”_ Dean drops his weight back and laughs as Cas comes for the fourth or maybe fifth time.

Cas growls and flips them over in a second so that Dean is lying flat on his back on the bed.

“Easy, tiger,” Dean teases.

Cas narrows his eyes at him and deliberately thrusts his hips forward.

The new angle surprises Dean so much that he arches off the bed and clenches around Cas’ knot. Cas gasps and then leans down to bite Dean’s neck as his knot swells again.

“Fuck, are you serious? How fucking big can your knot get?”

“I’m not hurting you, am I?" 

Dean rolls his eyes. “No, idiot, I’m just wondering how the hell your knot is already filling up again when it’s not even down enough to pull out of me yet. You got an answer for that, Doc?”

“It’s not unheard of,” Cas says clinically as he continues to thrust into Dean. “During rut, an alpha’s knot can do a variety of things that are otherwise impossible. Recede in five minutes, swell to double its usual size, produce upwards of 20 orgasms in less than an hour—”

“Whoa, did you say _double_ its size?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Oh, I’m going to have a _lot_ of fun with that.” Dean rocks his hips back and forth to emphasize his point.

With newfound determination, Dean grabs Cas by the shoulders and slams forward and back on his cock until Cas is sweating and gasping for air, the veins in his neck and arms strained to their limits, his heart racing. Dean doesn’t let up until Cas’ knot swells so large that he has to spread his legs to accommodate its girth.

“Yeah, alpha, split me open,” Dean encourages. “Make me yours.”

Cas shouts Dean’s name before biting his neck again, this time breaking the skin before moving away and biting his shoulder, too. He then does the same to Dean’s other side, all the while pumping come into Dean until he relaxes with his own release.

As Dean comes down from the high, Cas licks at his wounds and the come painted on his stomach. His orgasm doesn’t stop for at least 20 seconds. Dean feels come and slick seeping out of his ass and onto the bed.

“We have to clean this shit up before round three, dude,” Dean states as he tries to scoot up the bed to avoid the giant wet spot.

“It’s probably going to take about an hour for my knot to go down.” 

“Great, so I’ll just bleed out then.” 

“I’ve stopped most of the blood. Did I go too far?”

Dean laughs and pushes up to kiss Cas’ forehead. “You just made four new mating bites.”

“They’ll heal. Only the first mating bite remains permanent, while all other subsequent bites heal and disappear within a week or two.”

“Hmm.” Dean closes his eyes and immediately feels tired. 

As he falls asleep, Cas continues licking and sucking and generally making Dean feel adored. 

 

* * *

 

Cas manages to untangle himself from Dean without waking him up, and he sneaks out to the kitchen to grab them a snack before they have to start all over again.

Unfortunately they haven’t made time to go to the grocery store since filming wrapped, so Dean’s house is mostly stocked with all the healthy food he’s been eating to keep in shape. There’s gelato in the freezer, though, so Cas grabs two tubs and two spoons and returns to the bedroom.

Dean is still asleep, curled on his side and holding the covers between his arms and legs instead of actually covering himself with them. Cas puts the ice cream down and scoops Dean up in his arms, covers and all. He carries him out to the living room and sets him on the couch with a kiss to his forehead. Dean stirs and whines and smacks Cas in the face before settling back into sleep. Cas then returns to the bedroom and removes the dirty sheets, taking them straight to the laundry room and searching the cabinets for a clean set. He’s never really spent much time in Dean’s laundry room before, but knowing Dean he’s fairly confident he’ll find at least two sets of clean sheets neatly folded. It takes him a couple tries, but sure enough there are three extra sets in one of the cabinets. By the time he fits them on the bed, he hears Dean waking up.

When he gets to the living room, Dean is sitting up, his hair pointing in every direction and a red mark on his cheek from the couch. He’s searching frantically around the room until his eyes land on Cas.

“Why am I on the couch?” he asks.

“I changed the bedsheets.” Cas offers his hand to help Dean up.

“Did you carry me in here?”

As they walk back to the bedroom together, Cas answers, “You always act surprised when I carry you.”

“I outweigh you by, like, 70 pounds, dude.”

“What? How much do you weigh?” 

“Two-fifty.”

“You need to lose some of your muscle mass, Dean. It’s not healthy for an omega of your size, especially without the aid of your suppressants.” 

“An excellent assessment, Doctor Novak, and what do you suggest I do?”

“In my professional opinion, you need to sit around and do nothing for a few months. And eat.” Cas grabs a tub of gelato and holds it out for Dean to take. “Eat junk, specifically.”

Dean smiles brightly as he digs into the gelato. He makes his way over to the bed and sits cross-legged in the middle of it as he eats. Cas joins him with his own gelato even though he can smell the next wave of Dean’s heat coming on. His cock twitches in interest. 

“How long was I out?” Dean asks.

“About half an hour. You probably have another five minutes before your slick ruins the new sheets.” 

Dean eats faster. “Hey, why were you so hesitant about knotting me before? You’re really damn good at it now.” 

Cas takes his time thinking about his answer and tries not to get distracted by the sweet aroma filling the room. “I think I wanted you to know that it was important to me, that I wasn’t going to do it while unsure if you really wanted to be with me. Despite what you might say, sex is very important to you in how you gauge intimacy in a relationship. It’s important to me, too, so I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“Huh." 

“Is that not a sufficient answer?”

“Nah, it’s just—you keep knowing what I need more than I know what I need. It’s a little scary.”

“Well, I can assure you that right now what you need is to take care of your next wave of heat.”

With a goofy grin on his face, Dean sets their containers of gelato on the nightstand and flips over on his stomach. He already has slick running down the back of his leg, so Cas hungrily licks it up until he reaches his hole.

“You’re very wet,” Cas comments. 

“Mm-hmm.” Dean thrusts back, causing even more slick to spill out of him.

Cas gets drunk on it, licking and kissing Dean’s hole and swallowing everything he has to offer. He’s never had desires like this before and likely won’t again until his next rut, so he’s going to make the most of it now.

After about 20 minutes, Dean is writhing and shaking on the bed and begging Cas to _“just fuck me already!”_

Cas backs up and wipes his mouth before leaning down and kissing Dean’s mating bite. Dean has prominent scratch marks on both of his cheeks. Cas massages the skin before lining himself up and slowly pushing into Dean’s tight heat.

“Ah, burns a little,” Dean says.

“Should I stop? Am I hurting you?”

“No. No, no. It’s good. You just…ate too much of my slick, sweetheart.” 

“You still feel wet and your body should accommodate. I do apologize though.”

Dean laughs and clenches around Cas’ cock. “You’re so clinical about this shit, it’s like I’m sitting in a lecture hall.”

Cas grunts and thrusts as far as he can go. He does it three more times before Dean starts shouting.

“All right, all right, I get it! Not in a lecture hall anymore.” Dean adjusts his hips so he can get a hand on his cock.

It’s then that Cas notices how wet the sheets are. “Did you come already?”

“Yeah, while you were eating me out. You really didn’t notice?”

“I guess not.” Cas moves Dean’s hand out of the way and wraps his own fingers around his shaft. “I’ll take care of this.”

Dean laughs again and folds his arms under his head. He hardly moves at all as Cas knots him, and he comes again with a soft sigh. Cas turns him to his side and curls up behind him, occasionally rocking his hips to see how many times he can orgasm. He folds his arm over Dean’s side and squeezes his midsection to bring him closer. Dean clears his throat and grabs Cas’ hand. He brings it up to his mouth and kisses it before moving it back to Cas’ hip. He then reaches for the nightstand and grabs the gelato.

“Oh,” Cas says.

Around a mouthful of melted gelato, Dean asks, “What?” 

“Is this how you feel when I’m not particularly interested in sex?” 

“That depends, how do you feel?” 

“Ignored. Like I have to do everything myself.”

“Aw, quit being so dramatic. So I made you do a little extra work, doesn’t mean I’m ignoring you.”

“You’re eating gela—”

Dean shoves the spoon over his shoulder and straight into Cas’ mouth.

Cas shuts up after that. He even falls asleep to the sound of the spoon moving from the container to Dean’s mouth. When he wakes up, Dean is facing him.

“How did you pull out without waking me up?” Cas grumbles.

“Very carefully.” Dean leans forward and kisses Cas gently. “How you feeling?”

“Tired. What time is it?”

“No idea. Hey, uh…” He runs a hand through his hair and doesn’t continue.

“What is it, Dean?”

“I got two guest bedrooms. Do you think, uh, Claire would be OK taking one of them? I mean, if you—of course if you don’t want to—”

“She would love that.”

Dean’s face looks hopeful. 

“And so would I.”

With a huge grin, Dean kisses him again with a little more fervor this time. 

“What is it about this house?”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean,” Cas says with a smile.

Dean rolls his eyes. “Yeah, OK.” He shifts onto his back and stares up at the ceiling. “Sammy—he was, uh, six months old. There was a, um, a fire in his nursery, and my mom…I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t—I didn’t—”

Cas reaches out and strokes his arm but doesn’t say anything.

“We should’ve moved out, but our neighbors—they took us in and helped us out and my dad was so messed up that we ended up moving back in. My dad, he wasn’t around much, and I-I took care of Sammy in this house.” 

“I’m so sorry, Dean.”

Dean smiles weakly and kisses Cas’ hand again. “Anyway, I tried to do the whole Hollywood thing and lived in a mansion for a while, but I went stir crazy and moved back. I don’t know if I can…if I’m capable of living anywhere but this house.”

Cas scoots closer and wraps his arm around Dean’s chest. “I would be honored to call this house home.”

“Good. That—it’s, uh, good. I’m glad.”

Unsure of how to deal with the awkwardness, Cas pats Dean’s chest a few times.

“You hungry?” Dean asks. “We should get some real food before another wave hits us.”

 

* * *

 

They don’t make it to the fridge.

Dean white knuckles the kitchen table as Cas fucks him senseless. They slump to the floor together after, Cas’ back against the wall and Dean stuck between his legs. The angle of his knot is uncomfortable, but Dean is too exhausted to care.

After they pull apart half an hour later, Cas preheats the oven while Dean pulls two frozen pizzas out. It takes a while for the food to cook, so Dean lifts Cas up onto the countertop and sucks his cock dry.

“You swallowed this time.” 

“Heat, honey.”

They eat naked on the floor on account of all the surfaces being soiled by their fucking. Still hungry after scarfing down a pizza each, Dean makes meatball subs and eats his while Cas fucks him from behind.

“I can’t believe you couldn’t wait until I finished my sub, dude,” he mumbles. “I miss asexual Cas.”

Cas speeds up his thrusts in response.

They manage to get in a quick, sexless shower before bed. Cas soothes and washes Dean’s wounds, which is only a little bit uncomfortable in its level of intimacy. When they fall naked into bed, Cas kisses him all over before lazily knotting him one more time so they can fall asleep tied together. Cas continues to kiss his neck and shoulder and back while he spoons him.

“Hey, Cas.”

“Mmm.”

“You know, you’re—I need you. You’re my family, like, right up there with Sam. You know that, right?”

Cas shivers so hard that Dean feels it against his own skin. “I love you, Dean.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for a completely random, out-of-left-field ship and I'm sorry if you haven't seen any of season 11.

Dean’s heat ends by nightfall of day two. Of course Cas’ rut continues into the afternoon of day three. Cas starts getting annoyed with it after a while, but Dean seems to think it’s hilarious so maybe it’s not all bad. Cas believes Dean is just pleased the roles have been reversed and he’s not the one currently begging for sex.

In any case, they are both relieved to be able to leave the bedroom on the third day.

The first thing Cas does is call Claire.

“I swear, if you give me _any_ details at all…” she says, already sounding scandalized.

“I’m moving in with Dean.”

“Cool, so I can have the house?" 

“You’re moving in, too. I’m going to book a moving company for this weekend.”

 _“What?_ What are you going to do with our house?”

“Sell it. I’ll call a real estate agent today, too.” 

“Cas, are you sure this isn’t—I mean, you’re moving kind of fast.” 

“Hmm, did Hannah put you up to this?”

Claire sighs into the phone. “Production  _just_ ended. You’re mated—excuse me, _secretly_ mated—to one of the most famous people on earth, you’ve been together less than a year, and I feel like I’m the only person around here with a bad feeling about this which is stupid because Dean is so much more Solo than me.”

Cas closes his eyes and rubs his temples. “I’ve spent enough time worrying over the past few months.”

“But—”

“Claire. Please.” 

She sighs again. “Fine. But if Dean starts acting like my dad, I swear—” 

_“Claire.”_

Dean comes up behind Cas and kisses his neck. He sneaks his hand under Cas’ shirt and rubs his hip. Cas has no idea what Claire is saying anymore.

“Get off the phone,” Dean whispers in his ear.

“Dean, _please,”_ Cas whispers back. 

Dean sucks a hickey into his neck.

“Cas, what’s going on?” Claire asks. “Is that Dean? Is he there? Oh god, is he, like, doing stuff to you? No, don’t answer that. I’m hanging up now.”

“Bye, Claire!” Dean shouts as Cas pockets his phone. 

“She’s worried about you acting like her dad,” Cas says. He pulls Dean’s arm around his waist and laces their fingers together. 

“What, she think I’m going to ground her? Take her phone away? Scare boys off? Show up at her prom and—”

“Damn it, you _are_ going to act like her dad.”

Dean kisses his neck again and laughs. “Yeah, probably.”

 

* * *

  

_“Babe!”_

_“What?"_  

_“Come here!”_

Dean brushes the sawdust off the table saw and pushes his safety glasses up into his hair. By the time he turns toward the door Cas is standing there, leaning against the frame with his arms folded.

“Sam’s coming this weekend,” Dean announces as he picks up the broom to sweep up all the sawdust.

“What? Dean, that’s in two days.”

“Uh, yeah? So?” 

Cas sighs and rubs his temples. “How long have we been mated?”

Dean suddenly feels very small. “Fi-five months.”

“And how long have we lived together in what is now _our_ house?”

“Three months.”

“How many times has Sam visited without—” 

“OK, OK, I get it. Geez, you’re a hardass.” Dean walks across the garage and meets Cas in the doorway. “I’m trying, all right? I’m just not used to…”

“Sharing your life with other people? Realizing they need to be in on whatever decisions you make?” Cas smiles softly, which calms Dean significantly.

“Claire likes Sam, right? She going to be OK with him here?”

“I’ll give her the option to stay with her mother this weekend, but yes, she likes Sam. And I like Sam, too. I’ll call him today and ask him to start telling me directly when he’s coming to town.”

“OK. Sorry, Cas.”

Cas steps forward and kisses Dean’s forehead. “How does he get so much time off anyway? Don’t lawyers work around the clock?”

“He’s got a team of people, and his assistant does everything for him. It helps having a famous brother.”

“I see. Well, I’m going to get back to Netflix. Are you cooking dinner anytime soon?”

“Yeah, in about an hour. I was thinking burgers again. We’re running out of food, man—need to go to the store tomorrow.”

Cas affectionately grabs Dean’s noticeably softer midsection. Dean swats his hand away.

 _As if his fatass has any room to talk_ , Dean thinks.

“What are you making?” Cas asks, looking over Dean’s shoulder toward his workstation.

“I thought you had a Netflix binge to get back to.”

“I was just—” 

“It’s not finished anyway. Shoo. I got work to do.” Dean smacks Cas’ ass to get him to leave.

They’ve both been on hiatus for the past three months. It’s been a mix of amazing and taxing, sometimes simultaneously.

Getting Claire moved in was an adventure, mostly because her friend Kevin showed up to help and Cas accused him of tagging along just so he could meet Dean.

Kevin stammered out an apology and tried to explain that he just wanted to help his friend and honestly had no clue Cas was mated to Dean Winchester and, “I haven’t even seen the second Captain America movie— _no offense, Mr. Winchester!”_  

Dean laughed and told Cas to turn it down a few notches, which Cas failed to accomplish until Dean took him into their room and wrapped him in a hug and calmed him with his scent. It was nice. Probably the first time Dean realized how much he enjoyed taking care of his alpha.

Even after Cas apologized to Kevin, Claire refused to talk to him for two days. Dean thought about stepping in and trying to mediate the situation but then he remembered that he’s notably _not_ Claire’s dad and has no idea how to help 18-year-olds anyway.

There was a bit of calm after that. Claire was in her final semester of high school and therefore had a lot on her plate. Dealing with a stressed out teen was a little easier than a carefree one if only because most of the time she simply wanted Cas and Dean out of her way. They were really good at that. It helped that she loved Dean’s cooking and loved that he enjoyed trash TV just as much as she and Cas did.

The calm lasted about a month, and in that time Dean lost a little more than 30 pounds and Cas gained it. They were both softer around the edges, which Dean knew he would pay for once the next Avengers started filming but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Dean picked up carpentry again and built an end table for Claire and a porch swing that broke the first time he and Cas used it. He was currently building a rocking chair that Cas had been passive aggressively asking for for a while. 

They spent a lot of time with Lisa and Ben, Claire growing closer to the kid than anybody else. Lisa and Cas had a lot of private conversations presumably about Ben's future. Dean's heart hurt every time he accidentally walked in on them huddled close together looking somber. Lisa and Ben were as good as family, and that made it extremely difficult to see them suffering. 

In the dark of their bedroom one night after leaving Lisa's, Cas suggested that Dean put his millions of dollars to good use and consider creating his own charity for omega-related issues. Less than a week later, Dean was hovering behind Charlie as she sat at her computer and created a website for him. Cas was...extremely enthusiastic in bed that day.

It was during month two that Dean discovered Cas’ possessiveness, and it was within the first few days of that discovery that Dean decided it was not his mate’s best quality. One day Cas came home from running errands to find Dean and Victor drinking beer and talking in the kitchen. Immediately the whole room smelled like angry alpha. Victor made some lame excuse to leave, and Cas and Dean shouted at each other for the next two hours.

Cas slept on the couch that night. 

He apologized the next day with chocolate chip waffles and a rim job that lasted about the length of their fight. He then met up with Victor by himself and apparently had a “frank discussion about boundaries.” When he wouldn’t expound any further, Dean went to Claire.

“He told Henriksen that he could smell his attraction to you, and when Henriksen said there was nothing to worry about Cas brought up _your_ attraction to _him,”_ Claire told him. “Not that he thinks you’re going to cheat on him, he’s just more insecure than he lets on.” 

Dean made sure not to hang out with Victor alone after that. Even so, he and Cas fought more often about Cas’ possessiveness than they fought about anything else.

And of course, the final thing was Dean constantly forgetting how relationships work. He would do interviews and photo shoots without telling Cas, leave the house on a Saturday morning to go to Lowe’s and get a frantic call from Cas wondering where the hell he went, get texts from Sam asking if he could visit and then responding in the affirmative without consulting Cas first. Cas couldn’t exactly be categorized as “clingy,” so Dean recognized early on that the overreactions probably had to do with the fact that he had a teenage kid. 

The best thing about the past three months is that neither Dean nor Cas has been in the news. There was a lot of buzz about _Bright Atlanta_ simply because production took more than twice as long as a normal movie of the same caliber, but as far as the media is concerned Dean and Cas don’t even speak to each other anymore. They occasionally go out with Anna and Meg respectively, and they only go out in public in their small little bubble in Glendale. The media continues to be confounded by Dean’s place of residence. Dean sometimes takes Cas’ advice and avoids driving the Impala. They were lucky that the incident at the restaurant didn't turn into a big deal, and they had shown their gratitude to Anna and Victor a dozen times over. The only piece of news was that _Dean Winchester reportedly went into heat! IN PUBLIC!_  

Dean overcooks Cas’ burger, so he puts it on his own plate instead. Cas never says anything when Dean eats a little extra, so he knows when he messes something up Cas never even has to know. As far as his mate is concerned, Dean is the best chef in the world.

“Did you put mushrooms on mine?” Cas asks with his mouth full of his first bite.

“Yeah." 

“How’d you know I like mushrooms?” 

“I do a little thing called paying attention. Claire coming over later tonight?”

Cas swallows a huge bite before he answers. “I don’t think so, but she is going to be here this weekend. How did you make this burger so perfectly? This is the best burger you’ve ever made.”

“Sam actually has a little bit of work to do on Saturday, some client he’s got in L.A. So we’ll probably only see him Friday and Sunday.” 

Cas nods and focuses all of his attention on his burger.

“Dude, I can’t believe _I’m_ the one saying this, but it’s just a burger.”

Cas continues stuffing his face.

Dean sighs and pushes his chair back from the table. “I’ll go make you another one.”

When Sam shows up on Friday afternoon, he’s skittish and talkative and hopped up on caffeine and he wraps all three of them in bone-crushing hugs.

“Dude, what’s up with you?” Dean asks skeptically once it’s just him and Sam in the kitchen while Claire and Cas watch TV in the living room.

“What? Nothing! I’m fine. Everything’s normal. Why? Do I seem weird? Is something wrong? Are you and Cas OK?”

“Dude.”

Sam puts his elbows on the counter and leans down to push his hands through his hair. When he comes back up, he laughs humorlessly. “Uh, there’s something. Someone. There’s someone you need to meet.”

“What? Who? Somebody here in L.A.?”

“Uh, yeah. I-I should’ve mentioned her sooner. It’s just—”

“Sooner? How long we talking, Sam? How serious is this?”

“Uh, about a year?”

_“What?”_

Cas comes in with a worried expression. Dean points him toward a seat.

“It was, um, at Cas’ party. The one where you punched out Gor—” 

“Yeah, I remember. What I don’t understand is why you’re _just now_ telling me this.” 

“I don’t know, Dean, maybe because you’ve been shooting a movie and coming out to the world and mating with a male alpha who has a kid? You’ve had a lot on your plate, and I was just waiting for the right time—”

“What’s her name? When do we meet her?” 

“Dean,” Cas chastises.

“Her name’s Billie. She’s a producer—one of the producers on your movie, actually. You can meet her tomorrow if you want.”

“Billie? I’ve met her, she’s nice,” Cas says.

Sam huffs a surprised laugh. “‘Nice’? Not exactly the first word I’d use to describe her, but I guess you’d see her that way. You guys are kind of similar, now that I think about it.”

“OK, that’s lovely and everything, but how serious is this, Sam?” Dean interjects. “I thought you were meeting with a client tomorrow.”

“I’m actually, uh, going to visit an office space tomorrow. I’ve been trying to move here for a few months.”

_“What?”_

“This is why I haven’t spent as much time with you as I normally do, and Cas—I’m sorry about that. I wish I could do a better job of welcoming you into our family. And hopefully once I live right down the road I will.” 

“You’re-you’re moving here?” Dean asks, more excited than angry now. “You’re serious? You’re that serious about her, that you’d uproot your whole life, your firm, move everything here?” 

“I’m pretty damn serious, Dean. Maybe I can convince you when you meet her. I was thinking we could go out to dinner, but—” 

“No, we’ll eat here,” Cas says, standing. “Claire and I will go to the store, and Dean can cook. What does Billie like? Dean can make anything.”

“Now who’s planning things without talking to their mate first,” Dean mumbles under his breath. 

The next 24 hours are chaos.

Cas and Dean fight 10 times before Sam calls to tell them he and Billie are on their way over. Dean is so stressed that he has to throw away his first three attempts at making smoked salmon. He snaps at Cas for muttering, “Thank God we’re rich enough for you to fuck up.” They have angry sex in the garage, Cas holding Dean up against the side of the Impala and pulling out before they end up knotted together. Cas then disappears for a while, presumably because he’s waiting for his knot to go down and being around Dean won’t help with that. 

Claire shows up with Kevin an hour before Sam and Billie get there. Cas surprisingly only gives her a stern glare for bringing a guest without asking. Dean is grateful for another omega’s presence, and he especially likes Kevin because the kid smells calm despite being jittery. Dean can relate. He doesn’t act star struck around Dean and he treats Claire very respectfully, and those are the only things Dean cares about in his stepdaughter’s friends. 

“OK, everybody calm down! Everybody _calm down!”_ Dean shouts for no reason when the doorbell rings. He’s pulling sweet potatoes out of the oven, so Cas is the one who answers.

Kevin and Claire help Dean get the food plated, and he gets so caught up in it that Cas has to say his name to get him to turn around and see— 

“Fuck, you are pregnant,” Dean blurts out, bumble bee-patterned oven mitts still on his hands, eyes glued to the baby bump hiding beneath Billie’s leather jacket.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Dean,” Billie says blandly as she takes off her jacket and hooks it over the back of a bar stool. “You smell stressed out. That’s good.”

“Good? What?” Dean asks as he sets wine glasses at everyone’s place. He pauses and stares at the glasses, wondering if it's rude to drink alcohol in front of a pregnant lady.

“I like making people nervous. Where are we all sitting?”

They all take their respective seats at the table, Cas and Sam at the ends, Claire and Kevin on one side and Dean and Billie on the other. Dean keeps accidentally staring at her stomach, and she keeps raising an eyebrow at him as if daring him to continue.

“So how far along are you?” Claire asks bluntly after they’ve gone through some awkward small talk.

“Six months,” Sam answers eagerly. 

Billie turns a look on him. Sam quietly apologizes and hangs his head. Dean wonders how the hell this woman could possibly be a beta. 

“Boy or girl?” Claire continues, despite Cas glaring at her.

“One of each actually.”

Dean spits wine in Kevin’s face.

“That’s, um, that’s—it’s—” Dean sputters. 

“It’s shocking,” Billie says in the least shocked voice Dean’s ever heard. “You didn’t know I existed until yesterday, and now you just found out I’m carrying your future niece and nephew. It’s a lot to process.”

“Yeah…uh, yeah.” Dean stares down at his half-eaten food. “So, are you guys…?” 

“Mated?” Billie finishes.

“We’re waiting until we can move in together,” Sam replies.

“Isn’t it hard being long distance while you’re pregnant?” Kevin asks. He must be hanging out with Claire too much if he’s willing to be that frank.

Sam and Billie share a look and hold hands on the table. It doesn't seem very natural for them, but then again, Dean doesn't think it seems very natural for him and Cas either. 

“We get to see each other most weeks,” Sam explains with a bit of sadness in his tone. “And I’m moving here within the next month, so I’ll be here for the last trimester.” He lifts Billie’s hand to his mouth and kisses it softly. “The pups were unexpected, but I think we’re ready anyway.”

“I know _I_ am. You’re the mess in this situation, handsome,” Billie jokes.

Dean turns to Cas to gauge his reaction to the obvious display of affection. Cas is smiling softly at Sam and Billie and Dean wants to puke.

“Well, this is just great!” Dean exclaims, slapping a hand on the table and scaring everyone but Billie. “Sam’s having twins with a chick I just met, Cas and I are going to be uncles, I no longer have a single brother in New Mexico. This is _great._ Who wants pie? I’m going to pull out the pie.”

Cas follows him to the other side of the kitchen and stands behind him, rubbing his upper arms and whispering in his ear. “It’s OK, Dean. This is a _good_ thing.”

“It’s just a lot,” he mutters.

Cas kisses his cheek. “We can discuss it later. Let’s just make it through dinner, all right?”

“Right.”

Dean starts feeling better after his third glass of wine. He’s grateful when Cas cuts him off. Billie is sharp and scary, simultaneously monotonous and intense, absolutely not the woman Dean ever expected his brother to mate. But somehow it seems to work. Despite their differences, they clearly love one another and balance each other out in a way that Dean’s never seen with Sam’s past girlfriends. Most of the time Sam is too… _alpha._

Sam and Billie turn in early, but Dean and Cas convince them to stay in the guest bedroom instead of driving back to Billie’s house. Dean makes sure to get Sam alone so he can give him a big hug and tell him he’s proud of him.

“You’re going to be the best uncle,” Sam says genuinely as they pull apart.

“I can’t wait to see you as a dad. Seriously, it’s going to be awesome.”

“We’re, uh, we’re naming the girl Deanna. It’s kind of an old lady name, so we’ll call her something like Dee or Daisy—I don’t know. Just thought you’d like to know.”

Dean hugs him again and waits until he’s in his and Cas’ room before he starts to cry. Cas is lying in bed reading, so Dean stands in the doorway for a moment and stares at him. Cas has to wear glasses when he reads—big, square, black-rimmed things that slip down his nose every few seconds—and it turns out Lisa and Donna had been dyeing his patchy gray hair black for the past year. Dean likes his mate better this way, older and softer and more human-looking.

Eventually Cas sets his book facedown on his chest and smiles at Dean. “What?” he asks.

Dean shrugs and runs across the room to jump into bed and curl up next to him. Cas laughs and wraps an arm around Dean, pulling him closer to his side.

Dean doesn’t say anything as he cries into Cas’ shirt.

“Dean? Are you all right?” 

“Ah, it’s nothing. Just—kids, you know? It’s crazy.” 

“Did Sam tell you about the names?”

“He told me about Deanna. Why, did Billie tell you the other?”

“They’re considering Kent, after her father.” Cas pauses and rubs Dean’s back for a minute. “Is it something we need to consider? Children, I mean.”

Dean squeezes Cas’ middle and finds that the answer comes easy. “Let’s decide after the twins are born.”

 

* * *

 

Sam moves to L.A. less than two weeks after his visit. He and Billie are mated almost immediately. Cas discovers something in Dean he’s never seen before, a childish sort of giddiness that positively affects everyone he comes in contact with. If Cas had known that Sam living nearby would’ve caused this kind of reaction, he would’ve pushed for it a lot sooner. 

Once Sam is in town, though, Cas starts getting cabin fever. Their break has been too long, so Cas talks to Balthazar and sets up a few auditions. Dean hates the idea and complains to Cas about it for a week until Crowley calls him and tells him Guillermo del Toro is interested in casting him in a future project.

They’re both working again within a month, and it’s miserable. The hours are long, Dean has to film offsite too often, and when both of them are actually home at the same time they’re too exhausted to do anything but sleep. Also, being back on suppressants is like having a giant glass wall between them.

A month before Claire’s graduation, Dean and Cas go separately to the _Bright Atlanta_ premiere in L.A. It’s a small gathering with little media attention, so they take the risk of sitting next to each other in the theater with Meg and Anna on either side of them.

The movie opens with a close-up of various objects in a small apartment—cardboard cup of coffee, some Yankee candles, dirty laundry. The camera then pans from a pizza box to a hand hanging off the side of a bed and then up to Dean’s face smashed into the pillows.

Tag’s alarm goes off, and Dean jumps out of bed. Cas squeezes his hand at the brief glimpse of Dean’s bare midsection before he throws a t-shirt on. There are a couple of “day in the life of Tag Nielson” scenes before he gets to the airport. 

Cas spots himself immediately and has the impulse to hide his face and box his ears.

“You look good,” Dean whispers as Taylor Talley is introduced.

“I look old,” Cas responds. 

Dean doesn’t respond, which means he agrees.

Their characters sit next to each other on the plane and talk for a while before Taylor falls asleep. There’s a shot of Tag smiling softly at Taylor, and Cas turns to Dean and whispers that he didn’t know that was his reaction when they were shooting.

They exchange phone numbers on the plane and part ways in the Newark airport. The story then follows Taylor for a while. Cas has to force himself to watch without feeling embarrassed. Luckily it’s not long before Dean comes back on screen, and the two of them begin dating.

Cas is surprised at how quickly things go south, how early in the movie he begins to despise Tag Nielson both as a person and a partner for Taylor. In fact, there are a few cheers in the crowd when Taylor stands up for himself and breaks up with Tag. 

His scenes with Meg are intense and sexually charged. Cas tries to ignore the way Dean squirms in his seat through all of it. Meg just laughs and pats Cas’ back.

“I’m really glad I skipped out during most of the filming of this,” Dean says gruffly as Meg and Cas make out on screen.

“So am I.”

Tag and Taylor get together again too quickly, and their sex scene is a lot more awkward than it is attractive. Cas can tell the exact moments when both he and Dean break character, when they kiss and touch the way they do now in the privacy of their own bedroom. Except it looks new and exciting on screen, like they’re afraid that it’s not allowed because it wasn't.

“Wow, Clarence, if you two are anything like that in real life, then I want in,” Meg says breathlessly.

Cas squints at her, but she just fans herself with her hand and doesn’t say anything else.

The kiss between Tag and Taylor during their next break-up scene is clearly a very real kiss as evidenced by the visibility of their tongues in each other’s mouths. Cas shamefully thinks back on that day of filming and wonders what Dean must’ve thought of him then.

“You guys are real subtle,” Meg says sarcastically.

Dean hears her and stifles a laugh. “Remember how I kept submitting to you that day?”

“What?”

“It was really intense, and I recoiled like I do when you take control. I was so fucking worried you were going to find out about me being an omega.”

Cas huffs a laugh and pats Dean’s hand. “I knew long before that, Dean.”

The movie ends with Taylor and Tag parting on cordial terms, and it closes with Taylor smiling as he bikes home. Cas realizes that it’s almost identical to a movie he and Dean watched a few weeks ago. 

 _“Begin Again,”_ he says out loud.

“What?” Dean asks as the credits roll.

“That ended exactly like the movie _Begin Again.”_

Dean pinches his eyebrows together and stares up at the screen. “Shit.”

After exiting the theater, they congratulate Chuck and the rest of the production team and stay for a few pictures before going out for drinks with the actors.

As far as public outings go, it’s the most tame the _Bright Atlanta_ crew has ever been. There’s a sense of relief over all of them at finally finishing the project, but they don’t really talk about the film and instead choose to catch up on each other’s personal lives. Dean and Cas receive a million questions about what mated life is like. When Gabriel starts asking about kids they duck out and head home.

In the privacy of their bedroom, they lie in silence next to each other until Cas breaks it with, “The movie’s terrible.”

“Oh, thank _god,”_ Dean exclaims in relief, turning over so he can wrap an arm around Cas’ chest. “It’s awful, right? How fucking embarrassing.”

Cas begins to laugh almost hysterically. “You and I both gave miserable performances.” 

Dean joins in on the laughing and can hardly get a sentence out. “It’s like—it’s like we were playing a million different characters.”

“No, it was more like you and I were far too into each other in real life to give any sort of consistent performance. But even if we _had_ been good…”

“Still a cheesy script and poor editing,” Dean offers.

“So much for your Oscar.”

“Hey, maybe we’ll end up on _How Did This Get Made_. That would be a first for me.”

Cas sighs and pats Dean’s back. “Thank goodness you and I met during filming, or else I would feel like I just wasted a year of my life.”

Dean shifts so he can give Cas a kiss. “Good point. Let’s hope we can salvage our careers after this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out to my fave podcast for giving me the idea of making the movie terrible. If you've never heard of How Did This Get Made, I suggest you check it out.


	26. Chapter 26

**Two Years Later**

 

 _“Deanna!_ Deanna, let go of your brother’s hair. Don’t make me separate you two.” 

Deanna stares up at Sam with the same sort of bored intensity her mother’s eyes have. Sam clenches his jaw and tries his best to win the staring contest. His daughter eventually removes her hand from her brother’s curly mop and turns back to her toys. 

“Has it started yet?” Billie shouts from the kitchen.

“No, but it’s about to! Get in here!”

“Well, maybe if I had some help cleaning up in here—”

“Yeah, sure, because I’m not busy in here with two toddlers!” 

Billie comes into the living room a few minutes later and sighs as she takes a seat next to Sam on the couch. He puts his arm around her and pulls her close, both of them facing their kids to make sure they aren’t killing each other.

The commercials on TV end, and Ryan Seacrest appears on the screen. Sam and Billie only half pay attention to the red carpet interviews. By the first commercial Sam announces that he’s going to put the kids to bed.

When he comes back half an hour later, the ceremony's already started. Billie informs him that she saw Dean in the crowd and that Cas was not sitting anywhere near him. Dean gave up on having a fake girlfriend a while ago, though he and Cas still hang out with Anna regularly. Still, he decided to attend the Oscars alone this year. Cas, as he became more famous, had also stopped pretending with Meg and took Claire to every award show. Apparently everyone at her university was very jealous of her famous stepfather.

About halfway through the show Sam falls asleep with his head on Billie’s lap. She doesn’t shake him awake until they’re announcing the nominees for Best Actor.

 _“And the winner is…Dean Winchester for_ Pace.”

“Oh my fucking god,” Sam exclaims as Billie grips his arm so tight it’s probably leaving a bruise.

Dean wipes sweat from his brow as he climbs the stairs to the stage, and as he takes his trophy he kisses the girl handing it to him. He looks down at the trophy for a second. By the time his eyes meet the camera Sam can tell that he's switched on his stage persona.

“You’d think never having won one of these I would want to write out a speech in case this is the only time I’m ever up here. I, uh, I didn’t do that.” Dean smiles and looks down at the trophy again.

Sam gasps when Dean looks back up. His stage persona is gone, replaced by scared sincerity.  _Don’t say something stupid,_ he thinks.

“I was surprised when I got nominated for this, probably because I’ve played alphas hundreds of times so I thought, why this time? My, uh, my mate reminded me that I’ve been convincing people for a decade that I actually _am_ an alpha, so I guess it makes sense that I would be patted on the back for it. I’d like to thank him for this actually. My alpha, the guy I’ve studied for two years to better play alphas myself.” Dean turns his head and looks into the crowd with a bright smile. “Sorry, Cas, I know I’ve never told you that before.”

The crowd gasps and murmurs, and the camera focuses on Cas. He’s smiling up at Dean like they’re the only two people in the room. Sam wonders where these romantic saps came from.

“So, uh, anyway,” Dean continues, looking awkwardly back up at the camera. “Nobody’s really listening to me anymore, so I won’t go through the long list of people I’m supposed to thank. Thanks to the Academy and all you guys at home.” He waves and exits the stage.

“Well, that’s one way to do it I guess,” Billie states.

Sam laughs and shakes his head. “Yeah. I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everybody who stuck it out with me through this fic! It's been fun, and now it's turning into a series that will cover more polarizing topics (like Dean/Cas/Lisa and mpreg). 
> 
> Big shout-out to my beta, [Cookie,](http://deanismypatronass.tumblr.com/) who originally signed up for "I don't know, it won't be more than 40k words" and continued to stick around when that number kept increasing.
> 
> I'm [deancasheadcanons](http://deancasheadcanons.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, and [this is my website.](https://maddmadeshop.com/)


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